Rose Petals
by James R. O'Neill
Summary: Complete--Set after Command's Lucy and Krystal Ending. When Fox and Krystal take the biggest step of their lives, will Krystal's would be Lover End it before it begins? Rated M for Sexuel Content in the last chapter!
1. The Rose's Rage

**Hey Guys! Jim here. New Story Time! Leave a review if you please. This takes place after the Lucy and Krystal Ending of Command. Apologies for any plot holes in the backstory. I haven't actually played Command. In this Krystal was never part of Star Wolf.**

**FYI: **_**when things are written in Italics it represents a dream or flashback. Except for ship names or thoughts.**_

Chapter 1: The Roses Rage

"What?!" Panther roared. The startled Star Wolf employed monkey jumped and stared quivering at Panther from across the dimly lit briefing room. "It can not be true! Your information must faulty!" The monkey cautiously peered out from behind his data pad and gulped.

"T-T-The i-information has b-b-been confirmed by 3 of our Conerian contacts," Stuttered the monkey orderly. "Unfortunately, there is no doubt tha..." Panther sprang across the bulky conference table toward the monkey and pressed the muzzle of his blaster to the cowering orderly's throat.

"Say 1 more word," Panther growled threateningly holding the shaking monkey eye level

with himself. "And I will shoot you where you stand for telling such filthy lies!"

"Panther!" Wolf bellowed glaring in his usual manner at the feral jungle cat. "Sit down."

Panther spun indignantly at Wolf, his fangs bared. "But Wolf, we cannot trust such flimsy information!" He turned back to his quaking prisoner, bloodlust flashing in his eyes in his yellow eyes. "You should let me kill this brainless excuse for an ape for his gaul!"

"Sit down!" Wolf repeated. Panther wanted to snarl a heated retort but managed to choke it back at the last second. Contemptuously he lowered the orderly to the ground and slowly made his way back to his seat. Wolf waited until the feline had retaken his seat and then turned back to the dazed orderly. "So, when's this set for then? He growled impaitiently. Nervously, the monkey answered him in a uncharacteristic squeak.

"The main ceremony is supposed to take place on the _Pleiades, _the Conerian general's private leisure craft. There will be a total of 200 guests in attendance and will be held privately off the east Conerian coast. Most of the guests will high ranking military officials and political figures. Afterwards, there will be a short reception..."

Panther's mind raced feverishly trying to make sense of it all. It couldn't be true, could it?

No, it could not. He refused to believe such nonsense. Not after all he'd said and done. It was inconceivable. Still.... Panther brought those thoughts to a dead halt. No. He would not believe it until he could see it with his own eyes, feel it in his heart, and shred it with his claws. Hemade his decision then and there.

".....How absurd," Leon was spitting in disgusted tones. "When will this foolishness stop?"

"It is of little concern," Wolf said flatly. "Although...." the lupine paused bemused. "I never actually thought it'd ever happen." Suddenly, and with deliberate speed, Panther swept from the room in a flash of black fur. The orderly who had been standing silently, deliberately still, his eyes fixed on the far wall, fell to the cold metal floor with a clatter. A small knife through his Adam's apple.

As Panther left the Star Wolf hideout, his mind was filled with purpose. Not just his mind, but his whole being throbbed with it. If it was true, he'd bring it to an abrupt end. No man would have her but him. And he would make him pay for trying to take his sweet away from him.

Panther adjusted his Wolfen's energy output so that all unnecessary energy was being channeled into the g-diffuser's boost. He laid in his desired course and released the controls to the auto-pilot. Next stop: Coneria.

Back at the hideout, Wolf watched Panther's ship disappear into space. Knowing better than to follow.


	2. Dreams of The After Before

**Hey Everyone! Thanks to the ninjafox guy for my first review ever!!!!! :) So anyway next chapter is up! Same Rules apply. Fox x Krystal forever!!!!**

**FYI: There will be an explanation for the title at the end of this chapter, for the dummies who couldn't figure it out on their own! ;p**

Chapter 2: Dreams of the After Before

_Fox's footsteps echoed throughout the hanger area of the Great Fox II. The ship was mostly comprised of hanger space, originally for storage containers and things of that nature from the ships early days as a Conerian Assault Carrier. The ship reeked of ozone and exhaust from to much use to soon, and everything seemed to be broken at one time or another. _

_The living quarters, which could only be referred to as such in the very loosest of terms, were sparse with only the bare necessities. They were equipped for sleeping, bathing, and toiletry purposes, but not much else. Which wasn't ideal for a team that spent the majority of its time sitting on its ass waiting for a half decent job. However, the team had managed to work some of the vast hanger bay into a sort of make-shift lounge and shooting gallery. In the years after the team's temporary disbandment, Fox had found the gallery a welcome distraction from the all the stress that had become his life. _

_Fox slouched into one of the lounges decrepit sofas and sighed deeply. It was strange that_

_even a ship as derelict as this could be a happy place. He turned his gaze towards the lounge's only other occupant. Krystal lay stretched across another of the lounge's couches across from him. While Fox had decided on getting half a goodnight sleep before they changed escort duty, Krystal had elected to stay up and read. A book entitled "The General's Mistress" a mystery and romance novel, lay in a sprawled fashion on the deck where it had fallen. Fox chuckled quietly to himself as he thought of Krystal's vain attempts to hide the book from the rest of her teammates. "I'm not actually reading it," was her excuse when she was discovered, "I'm just trying to occupy myself. No use in being idle. Got to keep the mind sharp." Whenever she said this she'd blush nervously. Even she didn't believe that._

_He watched her with a loving gaze as she slept. The deep blue of her fur and hair complimented perfectly by her blue flight suit. He'd always liked that suit. Pink just wasn't her color. He couldn't believe it'd only been 3 weeks to the day that they had defeated the Anglars, and he and Krystal had spent that wonderful night talking. The rest of the night had been spent in each other's arms. They hadn't slept together, but Fox had no complaints. It was enough that they had shared their feelings and talked out the difficulties of their relationship. "I promise that my heart will always belong to you." Fox had said to her on his knees, clasping Krystal's hand_

_affectionately. And he had meant every word. It was what he should've said everyday since he'd met her. To his joy, Krystal forgave him and returned his promise and they both sobbed over the wasted years of hurt and hostility. And since that night, Fox's life couldn't have been happier._

_Fox checked the military clock embedded in the wall. 0432 hours. 'Guess it's time to relieve Falco and Slippy,' he thought to himself . _

_Reluctantly, he pulled himself off of the couch and tip-toed silently over to the sleeping blue beauty. He knelt down and picked up Krystal's private shame, and gently stroked her hair._

"_Krystal..." he cooed softly. "Krystal..." Slowly, the blue vixen stirred, and squeezing her eyes tighter together she stretched and yawned. "Good morning." Fox smiled._

_Krystal opened her green eyes and looked sleepily at Fox. "Morning," she returned._

"_Sorry to wake you, but it's time to relieve Falco and Slippy," Fox told her apologetically._

"_It's alright," she yawned again. "By chance, would you make some coffee?" There was an almost pleading look in her drowsy green eyes._

"_No problem," Fox promised. He leaned down and kissed Krystal softly, before standing up straight and striding towards the hanger doors. He turned for a last look back at Krystal._

_She was sound asleep._

"....Krystal...."

_Back in his room, Fox waited for the coffee to perk. In his opinion, there was nothing quite like a good cup of coffee to start the morning off right. Pacing up and down his room at a leisurely speed, he enjoyed the cool darkness of the early morning. Having finished his morning routine, he was finding it hard to stay awake without coffee._ _He paused momentarily to take in the photos on his dresser. The first was one of his parents and him. In the background, stood a small cottage perfect for a couple who were just starting out. His mother and father held a laughing 2 year old Fox, hoisting him off the ground for short intervals before gently lowering him to the ground again, as parents often do. Fox felt a small tear come to his eye at that one._

_Fox's gaze shifted to a photo of him and his team during the Lylat wars. Fox looked stolidly_ _at the camera, arms crossed. Peppy, the aging hare who had become Fox's mentor stood on his left side, hands inside the pockets of his long tan overcoat. An old sly smile playing at his lips. On Fox's right stood Falco, one of Fox's oldest friends. The cocky smile on his face clearly stated "I could take on Andross's whole army by myself any day of the week." "Birdbrain,"_ _Fox thought chuckling. He had one hand on Fox's shoulder and the other held in a 'thumbs up' gesture, winking at the camera. Next to him stood Slippy looking excited just to be in the company of his friends. _

_The next photo was very much like the last. It was a group photo of the team, only the clothes were different and there was another amongst their company. Krystal stood next to Fox on his right this time, smiling placidly. Fox smiled too, tracing the outline of her body with his finger. _

_There were several other single shots of Tricky, General Pepper, and one of 'General' Peppy and his daughter Lucy. But the one that caught his eye was a humorous photo from the years before the Aparoid Invasion. In the picture Fox and Krystal stood kissing under the mistletoe. It had been a Christmas prank by their teammates, as an excuse for them to 'get it over with.' Falco and Slippy stood in the background making wolf whistles as the 2 foxes kissed_._ Peppy just looked on in approval. Their First Kiss._

_Fox bent and opened the bottom drawer of his dresser. In this drawer, he kept his most precious possessions. Old toys and models, a pair of his fathers sunglasses, various medals for valor, and other things from his various travels and adventures. From this disarray of treasured material, he selected a small felt box. Inside was a slender gold ring set with a red and purple stone. A gift from Tricky. He had given it to Fox on his last visit. "For when the moment presents itself," he'd smiled as Fox gazed dumbfounded at the small intricate work of art. Fox pocketed it silently as he left the room with Krystal's coffee. Maybe that moment was sooner than he'd expected._

"_Yes. Yes Fox I will!"_

"_About_ _time too."_

"_I'm so happy for both of you!"_

"_Fox!"_

"Fox!"

"_Fox!"_

"Fox!"

"_F_ox!"

"Wake up buddy!"

Fox started awake as his mattress was overturned. Light flooded the room as the curtains were thrown open by a pair of blue feathered hands. A disheveled Fox dragged himself out from the jumble of pillows and blankets and glared at Falco with murderous intent. "Nice boxers," Falco joked.

"What the hell was that for?" Fox shouted at the irritating bird.

"Have you checked the time?" Falco asked pointedly. Fox turned and looked at his bedside clock. He froze. He spun to face Falco. "Exactly."

"Oh no, I overslept my alarm!"

"And your wake-up call. And 3 of my calls" The smile in Falco's voice was painfully clear.

Fox rushed over to the dresser of his hotel room and started throwing on a make-shift outfit. "I've got to get dressed! Krystal's gonna kill me! I'm such an idiot!"

"Yes; Yes; and.....hm..Yes. Falco nodded.

Fox glared at Falco. "Your not helping!"

"I know." Falco said. As Fox disappeared into the bathroom, Falco called, "Oh, by the way, Krystal was pretty steamed! As she left with the others, she told me to tell you that if you're late again she'll give you your ring back!" Falco started towards the door trying not to laugh. As he left, he stuck his head back through and yelled. "Hurry up, lover boy, or you'll miss your own wedding!" Falco just barely avoided Fox's pillow.

**Hahaha that was funny was it not? I hope this chapter wasn't entirely without merit. Thanks for reading! Leave a review! Oh, almost forgot! The title (for those who couldn't figure it out themselves) means this: Fox is having dreams about things that happened **_**"After"**_ **Starfox: Command but **_**"Before" **_**this story! Get it? HAHAHHAHAHAHHa!!! **


	3. Old Hare's Tale

Chapter 3: The Old Hares Tale

_5 hours earlier_.....

"_What have you got, Sargent?" asked the Husky Major. The brightly lit control room for the Air Traffic Control division of Coneria's Military Intelligence Network was abuzz with light and color. Even while this wasn't one the most exciting stations to be given, you did occasionally_

_get the odd questionable situation. And for Sargent Davis this was one of those times._

"_Well, it might be nothing, sir, but Orbital Security sent us this several minutes ago." Sargent Davis brought up the display he'd been studying for the past 10 minutes. It showed a derelict cargo ship's flight path and transponder number. _

"_What about it?" the major grunted. _

"_The flight path is similar_ _to the Wolfen we lost track of 3 days ago. Sargent Davis reported. "What's more, the transponder code is synonymous_ _with an organization with ties to Star Wolf."_

"_I've never heard of Star Wolf pulling a job like this." the Major said in dismissive tones._

"_Star Wolf usually works as anti-Starfox measure. On every occasion we have on record, Star Wolf has only engaged in combat to stop an attack from Starfox. Besides, Star Wolf comes to Corneria several times a year. There's never been a incident with Star Wolf causing trouble planet-side. _

"_But, sir," reasoned Sargent Davis. "The Starfox team are here for McCloud's wedding today, aren't they? And the trajectory of both ships," Davis pointed to the display, "takes them on an intercept course with the Pleiades."_

_Listen, pup," the Major growled impatiently. "There could be a million reasons for that cargo ship to be there. As for the Wolfen, it arrived days ago. And even if a member of Star Wolf is on Coneria having a secret meaning with whoever's on that ship, that's not a criminal offense; therefore, we can do nothing." The Major's voice seemed to lower as he spoke, "And even I don't think Star Wolf would be stupid enough to fly against the 200 Cornerian starfighters we have stationed around that area. So stop wasting my time." _

"_Yes, sir" Sargent Davis whined apologetically, "I won't bother you again."_

"_See that you don't." the Major straightened and walked away. "Every precaution taken, 200 of our best piolets barricading a COM dead area, and the Starfox team to boot, and this pup is worried about a single Wolfen. What next?" The Major knew that the McCloud wedding would go off without a hitch._

Present

After a mad dash to the air limo waiting in the hotel parking lot and a 15 minute flight full of checking his watch to make sure he wasn't late and Falco telling him to "Stop worrying and have some of this Chateau de...somthin' I mean this stuff is just phenomenal," Fox and Falco finally arrived at the docking port for Peppy's personal leisure craft, the _Pleiades_. It was really more like a space liner than a leisure craft, Fox had thought. It was in fact. The ship had been given to Peppy anonymously as a gift when he'd been promoted to General, for the part he'd played in the Lylat Wars he supposed. Suspicion had fallen at the time on General Pepper, who'd denied any involvement. Saying that he made a lot of money, but not that much. And so it had remained a mystery.

Today it was to play host to what some were calling "the marriage of the decade." and the following reception all of which the Conerian Army had gladly paid for. Fox felt more than a little uncomfortable accepting such a generous gift, and when Peppy had first proposed the idea, Fox had objected to Coneria paying s cent.

But Peppy wouldn't hear of it. "After all you two have done for the Lylat system, it's our pleasure." And so Peppy had arranged the most extravagant wedding in history. Intricate decorations, the rarest delicacies, the best champagne, the fanciest pre-nup accommodations and transport, and more food than you could wag your tail at. If it wasn't for Peppy Fox didn't know what he would've done.

As Fox the door to Fox's side of the limo opened there was a sudden rush of noise and a thousands flashes of light as every writer and reporter on Corneria took his picture and asked him for an interview. Shielding his eyes and half dragging a tipsy Falco from the limousine, Fox fell into step behind 2 bulky security bull dogs who were doing their best to shield them from the reporters cameras. The walk to the boarding ramp was made all the more embarrassing by Falco's half-drunken squawks of "Leave my friend alone! Don't you know he's getting married today?!"

At last, they reached the boarding ramp and Fox could breathe again. He relinquished charge of Falco to one of the bull dogs who led Falco down a adjoining hallway and out of sight, and followed the other down the main corridor to a turbo-lift. "The General is waiting for you on the bridge." the Bulldog explained in a deep throated growl. Fox thanked him and boarded the lift. Once inside the doors swished shut and Fox pressed the button marked bridge.

After a short wait, the doors opened again and Fox stepped into the busy seen of a pre-flight systems check. Officers in military uniform ran to and fro carrying out the orders given by their superiors. Fox spied Peppy sitting quietly in the Captain's seat. He seemed intent on the city scape of Corneria, but Fox recognized the old codger contemplative gesture. Something else was on his mind, Fox could sense it.

In strict military fashion, Fox marched up and saluted Peppy, making a stamping sound with his last foot fall. "Fox McCloud reporting for duty, General."

Peppy jumped slightly, and turned his head in Fox's direction and the same sly smile Fox had seen in the photo cracked onto the ancient hare's face.

"Fox," Peppy laughed, "How many times do I have to say 'Don't call me that' before you won't."

Peppy got up from his seat and the two friends embraced. As they drew apart Peppy called over to a young red furred vixen in uniform, "Commander Teera." The vixen spun on her heels and saluted.

"Yes, General?"

"You have the bridge. give the order to begin the take off procedure. The vixen nodded and began giving orders in a barking voice. Peppy began walking Fox back towards the turbo lift.

"So, Fox are you ready?

"Ready as I'll ever be." Fox replied

"Good, good. That's what I like to hear." chuckled Peppy as they crossed the threshold of the lift. Peppy selected Crew Quarters from the list of buttons and the lift zoomed to life again.

As the doors closed Peppy turned his attention once again to Fox, but with a more serious demeanor. "Actually Fox, I wanted to talk to you." Fox held Peppy's gaze as the old hare began to speak again. "Fox, I know you and Krystal love each other. I've known since the day we met her on Sauria. For years I watched you, and you two just couldn't keep your eyes off one another.

I did everything I could to help nurture that love and help it grow. That was one of the reasons I stayed as long as I did; otherwise I'd have retired years ago. And after the incident with the Aparoids, I thought you could finally stand on your two feet. I thought I had done enough and that it wouldn't be long until you two would take this step. And so I finally took my leave of you.

And for a year or so I led a charmed life, even making it as far as General. And then one day, I went out for a drink at my favorite pub. And I found Krystal drunk senseless at the bar.

Fox's heart dropped a few feet. Krystal never told him that part. "I took her home and she told me about everything that had happened. How you threw her out, and told her it was for her own protection, how she had cried for days, locked in a hotel room here on Corneria, and screaming about how much she hated you for throwing her away."

With each new part of Peppy's story Fox's heart sank more and more. "I set her up at the academy and gave her enough to live on. After that I tried for weeks to get in contact with you, but you were nowhere to be found. Eventually, I found both Falco and Slippy who had left for their own reasons, and they didn't know where to find you either. For 2 years you disappeared from the map completely. And for 2 years I blamed myself for everything."

Fox's heart panged even worse now. The hurt he had caused not only to the vixen he loved with all his heart, but the mentor and friend who had known his all his life. Fox felt his heart slipping away into the despair and guilt that had plagued him for 2 years, which that one night with Krystal had managed to erase. But now Fox realized that those feelings would never be erased. They would lurk in the shadows of his memories until the day he died.

_Peppy's right...It's my fault....Krystal...Peppy....My Fault.....My Fault.......My Fault........._

"Fox? Fox! Are you still with me?" Fox became conscious of Peppy's rough wrinkled hand gently smacking his cheek; also that he had slumped to the floor.

"_Fox, are you all right?"_ enquired a distant familiar voice.

Coming to his senses Fox shook his head blinking rapidly. "Don't scare me like that." The old hare rested a hand on Fox's shoulder and put the other on his own heart.

"I'm so sorry, Peppy." Fox started. I didn't kno–

"You don't have to say anything, Fox," Peppy assured him. You made it up to me when you made up with Krystal." Peppy leaned back against the wall of the turbo-lift. "I'm sorry I scared you Fox but you needed to hear that in order to understand that 1 bad decision can snowball on you." Peppy looked at Fox with that fatherly expression that was so familiar. " But it's going to like a miniature version of that every day of your marriage. Now I'm not saying that if you screw up once she'll leave you and things will become as bad as before. What I am saying is that you can't treat Krystal like only your teammate anymore. You have to open up, come out of the hard outer shell you've built up. Krystal has to be your lover, your confidant, your partner, and your best friend all in one. You have to be the same for her. You can't judge her, you must be sensitive, commanding, but respectful of her wishes and take them into consideration. You must keep her best interests at heart but again be respectful of her skills."

Peppy sighed exhausted. "There's so much more I want to tell you, but I just can't express it in words." He smiled comfortingly at Fox. "But don't worry Fox. It's not as hard as it sounds. In fact, as long as your in tune with Krystal it'll all come quite naturally.

Peppy got to his feet and offered Fox his hand. Fox grasped it and Peppy helped him up. "Besides," the old grinned. "This isn't a solo mission. Falco will be there, Slippy will be there, I'll be there, and most importantly," he paused and put his hand on Fox's shoulder. "Krystal will be there."

Fox pondered quietly the things that Peppy had just told him. The emotions he was feeling swirled around his head in a thousand different colors. But in this haze of emotion he felt an odd sense of peace. "Thanks Peppy. You've given me a lot to think about."

The old hare smiled his sly smile again. "Well, don't think to hard about it today."

The old hare grinned. "Enjoy today, Fox. This is going to be the happiest day of your life."

Fox grinned too, his troubles were already being overshadowed by the joy of the occasion. But something still puzzled him.

"Peppy?"

"Yes, Fox?"

"Shouldn't we be there by now?" The old hare chuckled.

"I hit the emergency stop. We should arrive right... about.... Now."

**Hey! Hope you liked the fatherly speech. I must admit that gave me the most trouble.**

**Sorry if it wasn't believable. Leave a review. Next chapter might be up as early as tomorrow evening! Two chapters in 1 day! Whew! That's a new record for me!**


	4. Holy Visions

**Hey guys! Main comments at the end! This part is a response to ninjafoxshadow's review of chapter 3. I didn't really rush it, so much as I couldn't express myself very well on that subject, so I winged it. Sorry if it looked rushed. I was in the zone! Finally, as to a work ethic: I don't have one! This isn't work for me. It's play!**

**James R. O'Neill (notice it's 2 L's) ;)**

Chapter 4: Holy Visions

_Several minutes before...._

_Krystal stood atop a small podium, in the middle of a large dressing room. A 360 degree mirror surrounded her, each segment reflecting a different side of the nervous, yet excited blue vixen._

_All around her were attendants who were (for lack of a better term) "fixing" the snow white wedding dress to Krystal's slender form. It was a more contemporary style of wedding dress, form fitting and strapless. It wasn't what you'd normally think of as a wedding dress, more like a fancy evening gown with an extra long trail. It had delicate and loopy designs, arranged in white silk. And there was, of course, an indiscreet hole in the back for Krystal's tail. Her wedding bouquet of assorted Cornerian flowers, sat cooling in a vase in the corner._

_Krystal's heart was all aflutter, a million emotions and concerns ran from one side of her head to another. "I hope I look alright." Krystal said in a nervous giggle. Lucy Hare her Maid of Honor looked up at her with reassurance, giving her a big toothy smile._

"_Don't worry, Krystal. You look spectacular!" Lucy winked. "I'm sure you'll knock 'em dead!" The two friends giggled._

"_Oh, I hope so!" Krystal sighed happily and did a little turn on the small platform."_

"_Please! Ms. Krystal hold still! We're almost done," squealed one of the male attendants who Krystal was now quite sure was gay. She straightened herself with a giggling apology to the attendant who kept right on working._

"_I wonder how Fox is feeling?" Lucy pondered stroking her chin. Krystal giggled inwardly. She always did when Lucy struck that pose. It was the same way Peppy had always stroked his chin when something was bugging him._

"_Probably hung over," Krystal smirked disapprovingly. "I bet he, Falco, and Slippy had kind of a late night."_

"_Be serious," Lucy chuckled. "Really, how do you think he's feeling."_

"_Well, hold on, I'll find out." Using her telepathic powers Krystal searched for Fox with her mind. As it turned out, she didn't have to look very far. Fox was in a turbo-lift heading for the crew quarters. As she lovingly reached out to touch his mind, a sudden surge of powerful emotion rushed from Fox into her. _

_Pain, the like she hadn't felt for several months exploded within her. Screaming audibly, she fell from her place atop the podium. Flashes of horrible memories flooded her mind. Fox throwing her out, those dreadful nights in the hotel room on Corneria, Her night with Peppy, all the pain of 2 years contained within a single moment. It tore at her like 10,000 nova bombs. And over all the guilt, pain, despair, and loneliness, she discerned 2 words said over and over: "My Fault...My Fault......My Fault........."_

"_Fox? Fox! Are you still with me....!"_

"_Krystal! What's wrong? Answer me!"_

"_Fox! Are you all right?" Krystal called to him in her mind. There was no response._

Present

Krystal sat on the podium, rubbing her temples. The pain of her encounter with Fox's mind was still receding. Lucy sat at her side rubbing Krystal's shoulders. Why? Why on today of all days was Fox in this much pain? He should exhilarated, nervous, excited. But... No. Those thoughts could only lead to bad things. Using her immense mental discipline, Krystal began flooding her mind with better memories of better times. Her first meeting with Fox, the day she joined Starfox, their first kiss, their defeat of the Aparoids, Fox's apology and promise of eternal love, and Fox's proposal. With these scenes playing back in her head, Krystal began to feel more like herself and balance returned to her mind.

"Krystal? What happened?" Lucy asked concerned. Krystal sighed. She recounted everything that she had seen, heard, and experienced during her brief excursion into Fox's mind.

"Wow...." Lucy let her voice trail off. "Talk about cold feet."

Krystal shook her head, making the beads in her hair crackle. "No, it was more than that.

Fox wasn't having second thoughts, it was more like....he..was feeling....sadness, guilt, loneliness."

"Why?" Lucy enquired. "Shouldn't he be happy? I mean this is his wedding as much as yours."

"I wish I knew," Krystal replied quietly. Both friends remained silent as they let normalcy return to their bodies. Finally, Krystal spoke. "I'm going to try to connect with Fox again."

"What, are you nuts?" Lucy exclaimed. "What if it happens again?"

"Then I'll do everything I can to help." Ignoring the rest of Lucy's protests, Krystal again closed her eyes and located Fox.

He was currently in one of the crew quarters dressing for the wedding as she had been doing. Falco and Slippy were there as well and Fox seemed to be in good spirits again. In her mind she saw the whole scene.

_Fox stood in front of the bathroom's large mirror. He was fully-dressed in his tuxedo pants, shirt, and collar, and was trying without success to tie on a black tux tie. When he messed up for the third time he swore under his breath. There didn't seem to be a trace of that horrible pain from before. Instead, it was replaced by a calm sense of peace and excitement, with just a hint of nervousness. _

"_So, Fox," Falco's voice called from the adjoining bedroom. "What are your plans for when you reach Sauria?" _

"_Oh, a few days visiting Tricky, first." Fox replied. "Then, we're gonna tour the planet. We're going to see all the places Krystal's never seen. Ending with a few days of relaxation at Cape Claw." Fox's heart swelled at the thought. _

"_Wow, I hope you two have fun!" Slippy piped up. Krystal couldn't help but giggle inwardly. She liked that picture too. _

"_You say something, Falco?" Fox turned around looking slightly confused. He thought he'd just heard best friend giggle girlishly._

"_Nope," Falco replied. Fox left the bathroom and joined his friends and teammates. Falco was leaning against the far wall, arms folded, while Slippy sat on the bed, swinging his stubby legs in rhythmic fashion. They were both already dressed in their wedding attire. _

"_By the way, Fox," Falco began with a semi-naughty grin. "At the reception...are you...gonna...?"_

"_What?"_

"_You know..." To illustrate his point he held up a rubber band he'd been fingering, and wrapping thrice round his fingers and standing his fingers on a nearby desk, proceeded to try and pull it off with tip of his beak._

_It took a few seconds for Fox to comprehend the meaning of Falco's visual aid. And when he did, both he and Krystal started blushing bright red._

"_I...don't think so." Fox told Falco matter-of-factly._

"_Oh c'mon!" Falco teased pleadingly. "It'll be fun! And it's a tradition! That can be your excuse!"_

"_Absolutely not!" Fox remained firm._

_Krystal chose this time to cut in. "Good answer."_

_Fox spun around again looking confused. "Did you guys here something?"_

"_What're talking about, Fox?" Falco asked also confused._

"_Are you okay, Fox?" Slippy enquired nervously. Krystal started laughing in a high girlish laugh._

"_Hey! That's sounds like...." Fox's voice trailed off._

"_That's right! Come on, love! You've almost got it!" Krystal laughed teasingly._

"_What sounds like who now?" Falco was looking even more confused than before._

_Suddenly, Fox had an epiphany. "Krystal?" he called to her inside his head._

"_How ever did you guess?" Krystal confirmed faking surprise._

"_Hey guys," Fox said turning to the worried looking Falco and Slippy._

"_What is it Fox?" they asked concerned._

"_You may not believe this, but we're not alone." Falco and Slippy exchanged worried expressions._

"_Krystal?" Fox thought._

"_Yes, Fox?" she thought back._

"_Was there something you needed, or did you just drop by to spook me?"_

_Krystal's didn't answer at once. She had to careful here. Finally, she thought: "This." Krystal gave Fox an overview of her experience with a mental picture. Fox seemed to squirm as the image played out._

"_Oh. That." Fox thought darkly._

"_What happened?" Krystal thought with a concerned attitude._

"_Peppy told me some things_ _that scared me, that's all."_

"_Like what?" Fox was silent. At least, silent in audible thought. To Krystal, Fox could never be completely silent. She could always hear his thoughts, even if they weren't thoughts meant for mental conversation. In her mind, she heard a piece of conversation between Fox and Peppy. _

"_Krystal has to be your lover, your confidant, your partner, and your best friend all in one."_

_Krystal blushed as she realized what she'd just heard. Maybe listening so closely wasn't the best thing to do at that moment. She had intruded one of Fox's private memories. A memory of Peppy giving Fox advice about marriage. And it was something she wasn't meant to see._

_Hiding her embarrassment (she was the only one who could hide anything) Krystal waited patiently for Fox's reply._

_Finally, Fox conjured a mental image. It depicted his mind's picture of Krystal's first 2 days on Coneria, her night with Peppy, and a picture of Peppy sobbing, head in his hands._

_Krystal quickly withdrew into herself to hide her embarrassment, shame, hurt, and anger. How dare Peppy confide something that personal to her husband to be on her wedding day! Why when she got her hands on that old coot, she'd show him why foxes were the hares natural predator---- No! She mustn't think like that. Restoring her mental discipline Krystal told herself that Fox would've found out sooner or later. _

_But she should've been the one to tell him!_

_Composing herself she reestablished the mental link._

"_I'm sorry, Fox," Krystal thought. "I should've told you."_

"_Yeah, you should've," Fox thought understandingly._

"_I-I just didn't want to hurt you anymore than I already had." Fox sent her his warm feelings of love and understanding._

"_I do love you," Krystal backed her statement with all the love she could muster._

"_I love you," Fox returned._

_Krystal opened the link wider and sent Fox an image of her blowing him a kiss._

"_See you later, Fox." The image winked and was gone as Krystal closed the link._

Krystal opened her eyes and blinked. Beside her Lucy noticed her friends mental return and turned to look at her.

"So? What happened? How's Fox?

Krystal smiled happily. "He's just fine."

Back in the room, Fox became aware that he was being shaken roughly.

"Fox! Speak to me!" Slippy's high voice yelled.

"Wake up, buddy!"

Shaking off the last bits of the mental fog he'd entered during he and Krystal's link, Fox shook off the tight grips of his friends.

"Are you okay Fox?!" Slippy asked anxiously. "You were gone for an awfully long time."

"What happened?" Fox grunted groggily.

"Well," Falco explained. "You were standing there losing your mind, and all of a sudden you just started staring off into space. Next thing we knew," Falco paused for air and effect. "You're fallin' to the floor, we're trying to keep ya from splittin' ya head, shaking ya like a rag doll. And the whole time, you've got this wide-eyed look on your face." Falco imitated Fox's look, widening his eyes and letting his jaw hang slack. Fox couldn't help but chuckle.

"And if that wasn't enough," Falco returned his face to normal. "You're eyes start bouncin' around like ping-pong balls. Just like you was dreamin' or somethin'."

Fox considered this for a moment. It seemed strange that there could be so little going on outside while he and Krystal had had such an engaging conversation. As his mind returned once again to the outside world, he returned his attention to Falco's rant.

"...which makes me think that you've either got the _worst_ case of pre-marital jitters I've ever seen," Falco was saying. "Or you've been having some sort of holy vision."

"Well, I wouldn't say I had a "holy vision," Fox said almost dreamily.

"But I did see and angel."

**Okay! Another Chapter done! I told you guys I'd deliver! Now I know what your all thinking: Where in the hell is Panther?! He be lurkin', son! He'll make his second appearance in the next chapter! Which will be the wedding, I promise! The Bad news is: It won't be up till next week! Waaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!! Still I might pull through it for you guys if you Leave a Review! ;) Special thanks to ninjafoxshadow and BigBossSonic for their reviews! Keep posting guys!!!**


	5. The Wedding

**Hey Guys! No school today because... It's a Snow day! Except there's no snow! ( So in light of that I was able to write this today! The fifth chapter is up! Do I rock or what? Leave a review! Oh! In answer to BigBossSonic's review: Yes, that was the tradition I was thinking of!**

Chapter 5: The Wedding

"General Hare," Commander Teera's voice cut in on Peppy's thoughts. The wizened old rabbit shifted his chair on the bridge to face the young vixen's military devoted figure.

"Yes, Commander?" he responded in his low crackling voice.

"We're approaching our destination, sir." Teera's face was tight and emotionless. She stood in a rigid military fashion, arms clasped tightly behind her back. Her sharp blue eyes were locked determinately with Peppy's and stared down her long pointed muzzle in a calculating way.

"All right, Commander, take us in, and signal the fighters to start creating a perimeter 200 kilometers in diameter. I don't want any unexpected surprises." Teera saluted and began carrying out Peppy's instructions, shouting orders to one crewman or another. Peppy watched her from his chair, rushing to and fro, and stroked his chin thoughtfully.

Peppy wasn't entirely fond of Teera. She was just too guarded, and kept everything on a strictly professional level. She was about the same age as Krystal, but already her file in the Cornerian Military Achieves showed an impeccable military career, and several generations of family members with similar records. Peppy knew the type: Children from military families always seemed to have a genetic need to top their forebears' achievements. From what Peppy had heard, Teera had very few—if any—friends, and a non-existent social life.

There were rumors that "Temptress Teera" a sluty dressing racer in the Cornerian Undergroud and Commander Teera were, in fact, one and the same. But there was no creditable information to confirm this, so it was widely regarded as untrue. Peppy himself, held it in his mind, and was thinking fervently on it.

He was inclined to think the rumors true, as they would explain where all of Teera's excess emotion was directed. After all, "Temptress Teera" had quite a seedy reputation in Coneria's underbelly as an exceedingly aggressive racer. She engaged in many self-destructive activities including excessive drinking, recreational drug abuse, and in extreme cases, all night lesbian orgies. Yes, Teera was one person he'd have to keep his eye on.

The communicator on Peppy's chair beeped. Peppy depressed the small blinking button, and a gruff male voice sounded over the intercom. "General, this is Lieutenant Grahams in the Main Hall. We're ready."

"Very good Lieutenant. You're early." Peppy's pushed all thoughts of Teera to one side. It was time at last. "Send word to the bride and groom, then instruct the guests to take their seats. I'm on my way."

"Yes, General. Right away." Peppy terminated the link and slowly got up from his chair.

"You have the bridge, Commander Teera," Peppy called back over his shoulder as he headed for the turbo-lift. Teera raised her head from her place at the communications terminal.

"General," she acknowledged.

"Oh, and Commander," Peppy called as the lift doors closed. "Don't be late."

To relieve pre-marital jitters, some grooms have a last beer with their buddies, some grooms watch televison, and some grooms.... "Ow!" Slippy yelled as Fox's hit stung him on the butt. ...Some grooms chase their friends down the halls of ships shooting them with rubber bands. Well, maybe just Fox.

"Ten points for me!" Fox yelled back at Falco who had fallen behind.

"C'mon, save me some!" Falco yelled back in turn, coming into view from around the corner.

"Come on, guys! Cut it out!" Slippy cried in desperation "It's not fair to gang up on me!"

"You know, your right," Fox slyly smirked as he stopped and turned around to face Falco. Instead of teaming up on Slippy, we should make this....a free-for-all! Quickly Fox loosed the rubber band he'd fitted for Slippy. The rubber band shot through the air, right on target. Except the target wasn't there anymore. Falco had dived aside before Fox could get his shot off. And now, in a very matrix-like moment, shot 2 of his own rubber bands at flabbergasted looking Fox.

These bands struck true, nailing both his ears. Fox gave a grunt of pain and quickly loaded a another rubber band. Scrambling to his feet, Falco bolted around the nearest corner, Fox hot on his tail feathers.

Without warning, Falco skidded to a halt and Fox unable to stop plowed into Falco, who in turn plowed into one the bulldog infantrymen from before. Fox and Falco quickly untangled themselves from the mass of flailing limbs and got to their feet, looking sheepish.

"Uh, sorry about that." Fox and Falco apologized to the large bulldog.

"Mr. McCloud," the bulldog growled. "General sent me to find you. You're to accompany me to Main Hall."

Fox's demeanor changed as he realized this could only mean one thing. "Wow! Guess that mean it's time then!" Slippy trilled coming seemingly out of nowhere.

"This is the big one, buddy!" Falco exclaimed gripping Fox's shoulder. Fox's face had an odd expression of happiness and dazed realization.

"Yeah." Fox said hazily. "Yeah, I guess it is."

Back in her dressing room, Krystal was being given the same news and it was having a similar effect on her.

The Main Hall was more extravagantly decorated than anything Fox had ever seen. Everywhere you looked there were ribbons, sashes, and flowers galore. Mercifully, Peppy had refrained from some of the most cliched of wedding decorations, such as wedding bells, doves, little hearts, and swans. Fox had thought it might be a little silly at a wedding of two freelance piolets. Krystal had took a little persuading to acquire this small piece of dignity, but had finally agreed.

A royal red carpet had been rolled out in between 20 white pews, acquired specially for the occasion, and ran from the entrance to a raised platform in front of the room's large windows.

All in all the room looked spectacular.

As Fox, Falco, and Slippy were led in to the hall by the large bulldog, there was a sudden rush of air as every dignitary, official, and high ranking military officer crowded around them, hands outstretched. Though their intentions were friendly, Fox still felt a little threatened by the solid wave of semi-sincere admirers that was now trying to surround him. Sticking close to the bulldog, who was like a rock the sea breaks against, the trio edged their way through the crowd of well wishers towards the platform. When they finally reached it, Fox thought that he'd never shaken so many hands. Peppy, who was to perform the ceremony, already stood at the top of the platform. And as the three approached him, Peppy smiled and welcomed them with a warm shake of the hand.

"So," Peppy sighed with a quiet enthusiasm. "Together again, eh?" They all smiled around at one another.

"Well, not quite yet." Fox said with a grin.

Almost a half an hour later, everything was in readiness. The guests were seated and everyone was in place. Fox stood just below Peppy surveying the scene. So many eyes watching him, it was a little unnerving. Falco, Fox's best man, leaned in and shook him. "Fox, wake up. People are staring."

"They'd be staring anyway." Fox whispered discreetly back.

"Well, that's true," Falco whispered admissibly. "But ya still can't stand there like a statue. Move around a little bit. I know we're just spinnin' our wheels, but let's try to put on a good show for 'em." _"That Falco what a friend_" Fox thought. He could be a little uncouth at times, but there just might be a gentlemen somewhere inside his rough exterior.

The bridesmaids in their deep blue dresses shifted from toe to toe. Among them were several mutual friends of Krystal and Lucy, all of whom Fox didn't know very well. The groomsmen, some of Fox's old Academy buddies, including Bill Grey, also looked a little impatient.

Among the guests, Fox could name most of them. As mentioned before, they were all high ranking officials and military officers who were here, Fox knew, on ceremony and out of obligation. It was also likely that they were here to boost their popularity. The McCloud wedding was the talk of the Lylat system, and anyone in attendance would instantly get a small moment in the spotlight. Fans and admirers, not to mention reporters, would come from all over to get an account of the whole scene. The others were members of the _Pleiades _flight crew. But the ones that were truly important, were the ones that Fox and Krystal had hand picked to share their special day with them.

Katt Monroe, Falco's, for lack of a better term, "girlfriend" was one such person, and she sat quietly in the fifth row on Fox's left, dressed in a slinky black dress, her black hair highlighted with pink streaks. She was gazing fixedly at Falco, and Falco was in turn staring at the ceiling. Catching Fox's gaze, she winked, and returned her dark eyes to Falco. Beltino Toad, Slippy's father was also among the guests. Not only as Fox and Krystal's guest but also as the Director of the Research and Development Division of the Conerian Military. In his lap sat a small video recorder. When Slippy had asked him to tape the wedding, Beltino had committed to it without hesitation. "It'll be my extreme pleasure," he'd exclaimed in his odd voice.

Behind him, Fox heard Peppy rise from seat. This was it. Peppy raised his hand for silence and the room fell quiet. Everyone held their breath as the old hare began to speak in a loud voice.

"Hello everyone," Peppy began in a rather non-formal way. "Today, it is my great pleasure to join two of my very closest friend in holy matrimony. Now, I've known both Fox and Krystal for a long time. And as long as I've known them, I've known too, that this day would come. They've been like family to me and I cannot articulate how much it means to be standing beside them today as they take this monumental step in their relationship."

"Furthermore, I cannot find the words to express what an honor it is to know them and to know how strong their love is, and to be able to count them as my friends. We've been through a lot. They have been through a lot to get here today. And they have come out of it stronger than ever.

So, will you join me in celebrating that triumph today? For two people who have sacrificed a lot for both the Lylat system, and its people. Fox McCloud and Krystal. Thank you very much."

As the old hare finished his speech, a loud roar of applause came forth from everyone. The old hare's speech got a standing ovation. When Peppy finally restored order he had what looked like tears of joy in his eyes, which he quickly wiped away. Once he had composed himself, Peppy gave theatrical flick of his wrist. Immediately, the sound of organ's deep baritones sounded throughout the hall.

Krystal stood a the end of the short procession, fidgeting excitedly. It was finally here! The moment she'd dreamt of for so long. All there was between her and Fox now was a short walk and two little words: "I do."

Speaking of a short walk, where was the person that was supposed to give her away. _"Don't worry I have the perfect man for the job, leave it all to me."_ Peppy had said with a mischievous glint in his eye and a sly smile. Whoever "He" was "He" 'd better get here soon or—

"Pardon me," said a friendly growl from behind. "But may I have the honor of escorting you, young lady?"

As "_Hear Comes the Bride_" began playing, Fox joined the whole room in directing his attention to the entrance. First, came Amanda, Slippy's girlfriend. She played the role of flower girl at this wedding. She scattered the petals of Conerian Blue Roses on the carpet with every step she took, beaming around at anyone and everyone. Next to emerge was Slippy the ring bearer. Despite being terribly nervous, he was managing quite successfully to keep a broad smile on his face. Though he was still managing to compensate by walking much too fast.

And at long last, Krystal came walking slowly down the aisle. She looked radiant and was positively beaming with joy. And escorting her proudly in a slow, wobbly march was...

"_General Pepper?!" _Fox thought overjoyed to see him. Yes, it was indeed General Pepper. The old hound dog's face seemed to shine with pride and good natured feeling as he and Krystal made their way toward the platform. He was dressed in his military best, more metals than Fox could count adorned the General's uniform with a ceremonial sword to boot. Though he was supported by a cane and Krystal's arm, Pepper struck an impressive figure, and every head turned in astonishment to get a glimpse of him.

As the pair reached the edge of the platform steps, the General turned to his companion, and leaning in gave a light peck to Krystal's cheek, which she returned graciously. Then General Pepper turned his attention to Fox. He raised his in a military salute. Fox grinned and returned the gesture gladly. The General finished the salute and winked. Then, without a word he released his charge and went to sit down in the front row.

Krystal and Fox exchanged a short look, both beaming. Fox offered Krystal his arm, she took it. And they ascended the steps to the alter arm in arm.

At the top, Peppy grinned his old toothy grin at them in welcome and removed a small book from the seat of his chair. He opened it and adjusted his spectacles. "Join hands,"

Fox and Krystal clasped their hands together without a word or thought. Smiling again at them both Peppy began: "Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today to join this fox and this vixen in holy matrimony. If there is anyone here has a reason why these two should not be wed, speak now, or forever hold your peace." Dead silence.

Peppy waited a few more seconds before continuing. "Now Fox and Krystal have prepared their own wedding vows in advance, so, Slippy if you would." Leaving his place at Amanda's side Slippy bounded up the steps with the rings on a velvet pillow.

Fox was the first one to speak, which surprised himself because he hated being on the spot. "Krystal," he began. "I love you. I have loved you since the moment I set eyes on you. You've stood by me in all kinds of wild, unpredictable times, and been voice of reason and comfort. And I betrayed your trust and love and did you a horrible, horrible wrong." Krystal's jade eyes locked with Fox's emerald ones and never left the entire time he spoke. "And even after all that hatred and hurt and loneliness you still found it in your heart to give me the forgiveness I did not deserve. And even to love me enough to agree to marry me. All I can do now is reaffirm my love for you by renewing the promise I made to you the night we defeated the Anglars." Fox knelt down on one knee and grasping Krystal's hand affectionately said: "I promise that my heart will always belong to you." Taking the Krystal's ring from the velvet pillow he slid it on her finger. On it were inscribed the words of his promise of eternal love.

Krystal was overcome with joyful emotions and she through her arms around Fox's neck and hugged him to her, crying tears of joy into his shoulder. She released him after about a minute and composed herself again. Well, as much as to be expected that is. "My darling Fox," Krystal cried in a joyful whine. "You are my whole world, and I love you more than life itself. When everything seemed to be crashing down around my ears, you saved me. Not once, but twice. Today, I make you a promise. That I will never again part from you in bad feeling. That I will never forget again my love for you." Taking Fox's ring from its place on Slippy's pillow and sliding it onto his finger. Both silver rings glittered in the light from the window. "With this ring I seal that promise." Krystal finished a little more under control now.

Without a word, Peppy recited the age old questions: "Do you, Fox McCloud, take Krystal to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, in good times and bad, keeping yourself only for her and forsaking all others, as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," Fox replied,

"And do you Krystal take Fox to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, in good times and bad, keeping yourself only for him and forsaking all others, till death do you part?"

Krystal's smile was as radiant as the day he met her. "I do."

Peppy beamed with tears in his eyes. "Then by the power vested in me as a General in the Cornerian Military, and as Captain of the Vessel _Pleiades,_ I now pronounce you Fox and Vixen.

You may kiss the bride."

And kiss they did. This last barrier removed at last from between them Fox and Krystal kissed as they had never kissed before. Some newly-weds kiss tenderly preferring to sace the more intimate kisses for the honeymoon. But Fox and Krystal, overwhelmed with love, went at it full force, probing every inch of each other's mouths twice over.

At last, they broke apart, and, offering Krystal his arm, Fox escorted his new bride down the aisle. As they walked another wedding tradition was observed as the guests began to pelt them with rice. Fox and Krystal broke into a run, and escaped out into the corridor beyond. They headed for the nearest turbo-lift and the reception in the _Pleiades_ starboard lounge. As they boarded the turbo-lift they embraced once more and felt completely at ease. All was right with THEIR world.

Panther was ripping his insides to shreds. It had taken him far too long to eliminate those fools on the cargo ship and fix the attachments they had brought him to his Wolfen. He could only hope that by some chance he wasn't too late.

**So there ya go! They be married! Next chapter the real fun begins! See BigBossSonic? I didn't let you down! Course I had always planned to go this way anyway, so don't be feeling too special! Any way leave a review! Whew! It's 3:00 AM?**


	6. Frosted Rose

**Ok guys here comes the big one! This will be the beginning of the end!!! Bwahhahahahaha!! Just kidding! This story will go on for a good long time to come! :p. Thank you all for your kind reviews! I appreciate it! Oh, btw, the Pleiades if you guessed it, is in fact the ship atop which you battle in the Super Smash Bros.: Brawl Stage: "Lylat Cruise" hence the statement that the Pleiades is a Space Liner. So if your wondering what the Pleiades looks like, use the game as a reference. Also this chapter may have some plot holes. Like I said: "I've never actually played Command" nor do I wish to! Thank you!**

Chapter 6: Frosted Rose

The starboard observation lounge of the _Pleiades_ was decorated much like the main hall. Several large circular tables covered by snow white table cloths and adorned with flowers were placed around the entire room at which all 200 guests were now seated, laughing and eating some of the delicious food prepared by some of Corneria's finest culinary masters.

Fox and Krystal sat at the largest table in front of the lounge's large window, surrounded by their closest friends. General Pepper sat happily on Krystal's right, and Peppy on Fox's left.

Falco sat on the far side of the table from Fox, trying to look comfortable, but having a hard time keeping the mutinous gleam out of his eyes as he glared at Fox. The reason for his discomfort sat on his left enjoying her plate of Cornerian Sea Bass, as a result of what Fox had described as "computer error." "The same kind, I imagine, as the one that had Katt's name originally omitted from the guest list," Fox had surmised with a sarcastically thoughtful look. "Luckily, Krystal and I invited Katt personally or who knows what might have happened."

Beside General Pepper sat Bill, one of Fox's oldest friends from the academy. He was busily engaging himself in a conversation with Slippy and Amanda who sat on his left. Lucy sat demurely next to her father, trying not to make eye contact with Beltino Toad beside her.

"So, General," Fox was saying to General Pepper. "What have you been up to?"

"Oh, not much since I retired." growled the old hound a little sadly. "To be honest I've been quite bored. There's just nothing about retirement that feels right to me."

"I'm sorry to here that, General," Fox said sympathetically. "I wish there was something I could do." Pepper waved his wrinkled hand dismissively at Fox.

"No, no. You've done enough just letting me contribute to your wedding." Fox smiled and beside him Peppy chuckled lightly to himself.

Krystal was only half listening. Something didn't feel right. While everything had gone perfectly so far, she still felt unexplainably uneasy.

She couldn't make sense of it. Here she was on her wedding day, surrounded by friends, finally married to the fox of her dreams, and feeling happier than she had in a long time. But still, there was this feeling of foreboding that buzzed relentlessly around her head like a fly on a hot summer's day. It wouldn't leave her alone. What disturbed her the most was that the feeling seemed to emanate from what her friends had come to call, "Krystal's Sixth Sense."

"Krystal?" Krystal returned to cognizance at the sound of her husbands voice. "Something wrong?"

"N-No. No, nothing worth mentioning," Krystal said with a nervous laugh, trying to hide her uneasiness from the rest of her companions.

Fox looked at her quizzically. She could tell he didn't believe her. "You sure?"

Krystal hated herself for lying to him, on today of all days, but she couldn't let this feeling, whatever it was, spoil their special day. "Positive" she laughed, trying to sound as cheerful as possible.

Fox seemed to get the hint because he dropped the subject, and returned to his conversation with General Pepper. The table's atmosphere changed however, as everyone had recognized that Krystal was anxious about something. Things became a little more silent at first, but as the meal progressed the normal chatter resumed. The only one who didn't seem to forget was Fox, who Krystal could sense had the memory in a choke hold.

Throughout the rest of the meal, various guests began coming over in twos and three's to give their best wishes to Fox and Krystal. The newly-weds greeted each in turn and thanked them for their kind words. There was also a rather humorous conversation about Falco's love life which ended with Fox and Bill dragging a rather enraged Falco off of Slippy.

At last, it was time to cut the cake. Fox helped Krystal from her chair, and they both walked arm-in-arm to the enormous cake the chefs had just rolled in. The cake had 4 layers, and each layer was a different flavor. At the top a tiny Fox and Krystal stood hand in hand under a wedding arch with tiny Arwings soaring above. As everyone looked on, Krystal looped her arms through Fox's and they both put a hand on the handle of the knife used for cutting. With cheers from the crowd, Fox and Krystal drove the knife home, and cut 2 pieces out.

As Fox fed Krystal the first bite of her cake, as per tradition, however, Krystal's vague feeling of foreboding, which had been growing for several minutes, evolved from a feeling into something distinct. Thought patterns driven by wild emotion flooded Krystal's mind. Rage, hurt, something akin to love but closer to lust, all these emotions fueled a vicious primal instinct. A bloodlust and need for revenge. Murderous intent. Krystal foresaw the next move.

"Get down!" Krystal shrieked at the top of her voice. Dropping the cake, she dove forward, knocking Fox off his feet and onto the deck. They hit with a thud and hugging Fox tightly to her, Krystal rolled beneath the table. As she did this, the observation lounge became red as a charged shot struck the unshielded window with a loud exploding smash.

Just before the deadly shards of glass flew at the unsuspecting party, The occupants of the bride and groom's table dove beneath it pushing the surface up towards the man-made cataclysm.

The rest of the guests began to drop like flies. In twos and threes they all fell to the floor. Some of the unlucky ones were blown back from the force of the impact, and were impaled against the wall, broad segments of glass suspending them there.

As the shockwave from the attack cleared the guests who had found cover began crawling out from behind their overturned tables. Fox and Krystal were among the first to emerge and began frantically searching for any mar or injury on the other.

"Krystal, are you alright?" Fox hugged Krystal to him.

"I'm fine," she assured him. "How about you?"

"I'm alright, thanks to you."

"Fox! Krystal! Are you alright?" Peppy enquired as he and the rest of their friends came dashing up to the two foxes.

"We're fine. What happened?" Fox demanded, talking more to Krystal than Peppy.

"Someone took a shot at us!" Krystal exclaimed.

"I know that, but who?" Fox elaborated.

"I don't know. All I felt was this feeling of murderous intent from outside the window. Then the thought patterns pointed to someone firing a shot, and I acted on instinct," Krystal explained.

"But how did he get past the fighter screen?" Peppy chimed in.

Krystal shook her head. "I don't know. I'm sorry."

"I'll contact the bridge," Peppy said reaching for his communicator. "They probably have a better handle on the situation. Bill?" The brown furred dog came to attention.

"Sir?"

"Gather all the military personnel you can find. I want all uninjured crewmen either on the bridge or helping the guests move to the Main Hall or to sick bay." The old hare turned his gaze on Star Fox. "Fox, you guys better come with me to the bridge. I'm going to need your help."

"Team Star Fox, ready for duty." Fox said coming to attention. His leisurely attitude replaced by his cool and calculating military persona. "We'll do anything we can to help out."

"Good to hear," Peppy nodded appreciatively. The old hare now spoke to the other members of their group. "Katt and Amanda. You're neither part of Star Fox or the Cornerian military. I can't ask you to take part in this fight. If you want to sit this one out—"

"Don't be an idiot!" Katt hissed. "I won't cower on the sidelines while you guys are out there risking your necks! Katt Monroe is better than that!"

"Same here!" croaked Amanda, seconding Katt's motion.

Peppy looked a little taken aback, by the two female's sudden outbursts, though not a bit surprised.

"General?" Peppy looked at the old hound. "Would you and Beltino mind accompanying us as well?"

Pepper laughed a good throaty laugh. "Good to back in action!" he howled.

Beltino fiddled with his glasses, but looked confident. "Of course. Whatever help I can offer."

Peppy smiled around at the group of courageous people of all shapes, sizes, and age groups. Many of them were his friends and he knew each one to be sincere and unafraid. "Looks like its unanimous. Alright, lets go."

Panther's Wolfen circled the _Pleiades_ like a vulture, firing off random shots at the defenseless vessel below him. Classic scare tactics. These shots would create the panic that he needed to enact his plan. One of his not so random shots had hit the starboard lounge. He had been informed that this was where the reception would've later been held. Imputing the phase variance shift code that his contact onboard the _Pleiades_ had supplied him with into his comm system, Panther opened a channel to the victimized ship. "This is Panther Caroso. If Krystal is not handed over to me within 30 minutes, I will destroy the _Pleiades _and everyone onboard."

The bridge of the Pleiades was in utter chaos as Peppy stepped out of the lift, closely followed by General Pepper, Beltino, Fox, Krystal, and Falco. The lift had been too small for all of their group to ride up together, and so the less essential members had waited below.

Peppy looked around for Teera but couldn't pick her out from the mass of panicking officers. He looked at Pepper with an unspoken plea. Pepper got the message. The old dog cleared his throat.

"General on deck!" He barked at the disorganized mess. Muzzles turned to face the newcomers, and their was a loud stomping sound as every officer on the bridge came to attention.

This brief moment of stillness allowed Peppy to conduct a more thorough search of the room. Teera was nowhere to be found.

"Where is Commander Teera?" Peppy enquired to the room at large. A tall, average looking dog stepped forward.

"Commander Teera left for the wedding ceremony an hour ago. We assumed she was with you, General."

"Who'd she leave in charge?"

A male fox with golden fur stepped forward. "Me, sir."

"Name and rank?" Peppy ordered the fox.

"Lt. Commander Clancy Worthington, sir!" the young fox sounded off.

"At ease. All of you get back to work." Peppy gave Worthington a break from his rigid stance. "So Commander, what's the situation?"

The vulpine fidgeted nervously as he gave his report. "A few minutes ago, at approximately 1255 hours Conerian standard time, a ship of unknown size and origin de-cloaked off the starboard stern. Without warning or provocation the ship fired upon us damaging the starboard lounge. It then proceeded to apply scare tactics, firing random shots into the hull. After the first run we managed to get the shields online, but found that our shield generators had been damaged by the bogey. Then using an unknown method, the pilot sent us this message."

Worthington had walked them over to the communications board and tapping a few keys brought up the video feed from their unknown aggressor. Krystal gasped and Fox's eyes narrowed.

"_This is Panther Caroso_." the electronically charged panther growled. "_If Krystal is not handed over to me in 30 minutes, I will destroy the Pleiades and everyone on it."_

Krystal shivered and leaned against Fox's shoulder. It all made sense now. Panther was here to claim her before she married Fox. It was such a perverse idea. To think that he thought he had any claim on her. It made her blood boil in her veins. This was her fault. She had lead Panther on, used him to achieve her own goals, and now she was paying the price for toying with his emotions.

"Panther?" Fox said perplexed. "What's he doing here? And why is he threatening to destroy the ship if we don't hand over Krystal?"

"It's my fault, I'm afraid," Krystal spoke up in a flat tone of voice.

"Yours, Krystal?" Slippy said appearing for the second time that day out of nowhere, along with the rest of the original group.

"Yes. When.... well.. During the 2 years I was... away," Krystal began. "I started a relationship with Panther."

Fox looked slightly uncomfortable at the prospect of his wife ever being involved with an enemy pilot. "I didn't really even like him," Krystal continued. "I just needed his, rather, Star Wolf's connections to achieve some "goals" I had set for myself at that point."

Krystal blushed lightly. The main reason she'd even considered such a repulsive idea like that in the first place was that it was sure to make Fox jealous.

"At any rate, it worked like a charm. Panther absolutely fawned over me." She grimaced. "It was a bit annoying, to be honest. So, I let him take me on a few dates and in turn he did anything I wanted. Of course, his main purpose at all times was to sleep with me," She gave Fox a reassuring look. "I never let him though. The most he ever got was a kiss on the cheek outside my apartment complex." Fox's posture changed slightly, she could tell he was far more relaxed.

"Anyway, during the Anglar Blitz I was re-stationed on Katina. Panther was becoming a little more impatient with me than usual. We had been dating almost 3 months and he still hadn't got into my pants, or even kissed me for real."

"The day you came to find me Fox, I was flying patrol when my squadron suddenly dropped away and 3 Wolfens flanked me. Panther had secretly convinced Wolf to let me join. He said that I should leave the military and come live with him at Star Wolf's hideout. It was obliviously a ploy to get me within close proximity so he could jump me whenever the mood took him.

I was on the verge of declining the offer, when he accused me of being too afraid and attached to my old life to realize what a tremendous opportunity this was. I defended myself by... well... I said awful things about people who were close to me."

Krystal sighed. "It was right after I stopped that I heard your voice on the comm, Fox." Krystal looked at her husband, there were the ghosts of tears in her eyes. "I didn't know what to do. I had just said all these horrible things and there you were above me." Krystal blinked away the would-be tears and grasped Fox's hand. "After that I left with you, and I never looked back. I haven't spoken to Panther since that day nor have I wished to."

Krystal finished her lengthy explanation and a stunned silence hovered amongst the group. "Well...uh...that was informative," Peppy stammered.

"At least we have a reason for his presence now," Fox said in an almost "look on the bright side" sort of way. He had mixed feelings about Krystal's story. Most of it he'd heard before. On that memorable night 2 months ago, Krystal had given him an overview of the same story. He wasn't entirely sure it was all true, though.

"Sir, we need orders," said Worthington to Peppy finally speaking up. "We're approaching the deadline."

"Let me talk to him," Krystal suggested. "I might be able to get him to leave." The others looked at one another. It was a viable option. And its favorable outcome made it preferable than losing the majority of their fighter pilots to Panther's "love crusade."

"Alright, it's worth a shot, at the very least it will buy us enough time for the fighters to arrive." Peppy turned to Worthington. "Hail Panther's ship. Tell him that Krystal wants to talk."

"No need, sir," Worthington pointed to the screen. "He kept the link open. We just turned our recording capabilities off."

Tapping the keys on the consol again he spread his hand toward the holo-emitter screen.

"When your ready, General."

Peppy took a seat in the captain's chair. He looked over at Krystal. "Are you ready, Krystal?" Krystal nodded and crossed her arms, holding them under the elbows, as was her custom. She stood next to Fox and the others who stood out of the camera's line vision, not wanting any unwelcome faces ruining this chance at a peaceful resolution. Fox held her around the waist and they swayed right and left as she waited for her cue.

Peppy tapped a few buttons on his chair and Panther's face appeared on the large screen, his yellow eyes narrowed.

"What do you want, Hare?" Panther leered down at Peppy. "Panther has given you his demands: Surrender Krystal or be destroyed."

"We think we may have a third option," Peppy said in a cold, clear voice. "We have someone here who wants to talk to you." Peppy turned and waved Krystal over.

As Fox released her from his loving embrace he whispered softly in her ear. "I love you. Good luck."

With these last words last friendly words from her husband, Krystal walked slowly and deliberately into the camera's line of vision. As she came into view on the small screen of his Wolfen Panther's heart did something between a back-flip and a pang. She saw his face soften slightly and it took on that swagger and confidence that she'd seen so many times before.

"Krystal, my love," Panther purred. "It is good to see you. Panther has missed you." The jungle cat had lost none of his style. Krystal was wearing her wedding dress, and she looked stunning. Her arms were held in her classic fashion and her jade eyes had lost none of their luster.

But although she was beautiful, Panther could see no welcome in any part of her. Her eyes half-glared at Panther and her fur bristled. Finally she spoke, "Why are you here, Panther?" she asked flatly.

Panther was dumbfounded. "Is it not obvious?" Panther said puzzled. "Panther has come to fetch you; to bring you back to where you belong! And to stop you from marry—"

"You're to late if that's why you're here," Krystal cut him off, coldly. "And as to where I belong," she barked dryly. "I have always belonged here, with my friends, with Star Fox, and most importantly," Krystal held up her left hand for Panther to see. She wiggled her fingers and two rings, one gold with a purple stone and the other plain silver, sparkled as they caught the light.

"With my husband," she finished.

So that was it then. She had done what Panther had refused to believe was possible. Krystal had married Fox McCloud. Panther felt numb. How could she? What did it all mean? How could he have let things get this far?

There was a moment of silence on both the _Pleiades_'s bridge and Panther's Wolfen. Krystal's face remained emotionless as she spoke again. "It's over, Panther. I'm sorry. Now, please go and leave me in peace." She was about to turn away when Panther's response came in over the air waves.

"How dare you?" the jungle cat's voice was livid. "Is that all that my love has meant to you? You just used me to make that bastard boyfriend of yours jealous? And now that your plan has worked, you think you can toss me aside like a used tissue?" Panther snarled. "Well, I'll tell you this: You belong to me! I will pry you forcefully from your "husband"'s cold dead hands, and then I will be the only one to make love to you! I will father your children! I will force you to love me! You are mine you blue furred heartless bitch!"

Everyone on the bridge stared mouth agape at the holographic feline with disbelieving contempt at the things Panther had just spat. Fox was especially furious and made to give the feral jungle cat a thorough chewing out. But as his foot lifted, Krystal not even looking at him raised her hand in a "come no further" gesture. Her face never portrayed a single thing, but Fox could sense the bottled fury she was trying to repress.

Krystal placed her hand on the arm of Peppy's chair to steady herself. She let her seemingly delicate fingers glide to the control panel and placed the snow white nail of her right hand's index finger on the "Terminate Link" button. Just before she depressed it, she uttered 4 words and they felt like ice.

"Go ahead and try."

**Oh! What now, son? That was cold! Not that that son of bitch didn't deserve it. Anyway, I apologize. I think I let my cold blooded contempt for Krystal x Panther seep into the story. Also for the fact I didn't get this up last week! I had a major case of something between writer's block and procrastination. Which is ridiculous because I love doing this! Anyway, again leave a review! **

**Also, on a more personnel note: I'd really like to see some decent Fox x Krystal stories out there! **

**And I'd like to recommend some to all! (If that's against the rules: I'm sorry but "Darn it all! Nobody ever reads the manuals!") **

**Okay, first the Saurian Adventure by ninjafoxshadow. This story boldly re-imagines Star Fox: Adventures, telling the story, but putting our 2 favorite foxes together the entire time. It's engaging read, if a bit tedious, but the best parts are in between the missions to various places, while Fox and Krystal share some humorous yet affectionate scenes. Definitely worth a look.**

**Second, **_**The Romantic Getaway **_**by StarFoxChic. This story is just filled with cliches and heart wrenching sweetness. So if your into that check it out! Very mushy gushy, lots of kissing, and afew boobies too. Lol. (If StarFoxChic is reading this: Don't hurt me! It's a compliment!)**

**Third is **_**Birth of a Son **_**by KeepingtheBlade. This story is sort of a intermediary between Command and the Goodbye, Fox ending. It imagines the nine months before Marcus McCloud's birth and Fox and Krystal's struggles in that time. Very engaging, very descriptive, and very, very emotional. Probably the best Star Fox story I've read to date! So if you feel like having a good cry, read this!**

**Finally, is the story that inspired me to write **_**Rose Petals**_**. It's entitled Fox and Krystal's Night Out and it's by a guy named TrailerFlip. This story has sooooo much innuendo that it will make you nauseous! It is filled to the brim with cliches, passionate necking, and many, MANY sweet moments that will make you want to keel over, wretching! Also, the guy is the biggest tease in the business! But on the whole, I think it's a very good story. I hope you do, too!**

**So then, that's it. I hope I didn't offend anyone! I wish you guys "Good Reading!" and good night! I'm going to try to make up for lost time by getting a new chapter up later today! I say today because it's actually 12:13 AM Saturday morning. ;p**


	7. The Rose's Thorns

"**And here we go!" — Falco Lombardi just before the Sargasso battle. Lol. Anyway, thanks for the reviews on my last chapter! And to ninjafoxshadow: You're welcome! So, if anyone else wants mad props for their work, leave your own review and I'll check you out! I might even recommend your story in another chapter! Btw, hope you've enjoyed the stories I've already recommended! Mention that you have in your review! It'll make me feel good! And if I feel good, I might write another chapter for tomorrow! ;)**

Chapter 7: The Roses's Thorns

Krystal walked silently back to her friends. Fox went over and embraced Krystal, who returned the physical contact only half-heartedly. She sympathized with Fox, whom she sensed had been quite shaken by her unfeeling behavior. The fact of the matter was that she herself didn't know what had come over her. She had been shaken by Panther's insults and threats, a lot more than she had expected. When Panther had started purring those smooth words, something dark had stirred within her, and all she had felt was a cold indifference with a underlying feeling of vindictiveness. It frightened her. Was their really that much bitterness still stored up inside her waiting to be released at the slightest provocation? Still, Krystal felt she had to keep face and be brave about it. At least, that's what she kept telling herself.

She rested her head on Fox's shoulder and rubbed his back lovingly, content just to be in her husband's arms. Finally, they parted, and Krystal turned to the group of worried faces.

"Sorry about that," she sighed, wiping a few stray tears from her cheeks. "I guess I kind of screwed that up."

"It wasn't your fault," Fox reassured her trying to be supportive.

"Don't give me that," Krystal said. "I know I could've handled that better." There was silence in the control room as the group stood supportively by Krystal's side. After a minute or so of complete silence, Peppy came over solemnly, his hands clasped behind his back.

"We just received another ultimatum," the old hare stated. "Panther's given us 10 minutes to send Krystal up to him. Apparently, you ruffled a few feathers." No one laughed.

"So what's the plan?" Falco asked Peppy.

"I guess we'll have to wait it out. The fighters will be here shortly, and while they distract Panther, we'll fly out of here and radio for help."

"Aw, that's no fun," Falco groaned. "We should just get up there and kick his butt. That'll teach 'em a lesson."

Peppy chuckled at Falco's eagerness but shook his head. "It's not as simple as that, Falco. We have the safety of the guests to consider. With the _Pleiades_'s shields as weak as they are, we wouldn't last 5 minutes in a fight. Besides, this is a leisure craft, granted it's a big one, but we still don't have enough guns to match the capabilities of the Wolfen."

"Why don't we just take some fighters and escort the Pleiades out of here?" suggested Slippy.

"We don't have any what you would call real fighters. Just several of emergency shuttles and 5 stunt fighters we were going to use in an air show, later." Fox and Krystal exchanged glances. They hadn't heard about any air show. "Not to mention the shuttle Fox and Krystal were taking to Sauria."

"Why can't we use those fighters?" Katt spoke up.

"No weapons to speak of."

"We need a plan, Peppy," Fox said determinately. If you shoot down every possibility we throw out."

"General, you'd better have a look at this," called a young officer by the radar consol.

"Wait here. We'll think of something." Peppy walked up to the red feathered avian officer.

"What have you got?" Peppy asked at once.

"Well, sir, when the attack started we tried contacting the starfighters using the phase variance code. But they didn't respond. And now according to this garbled radar scan, the fighters haven't moved an inch."

Peppy's aged ears perked up. That was a bad sign. "Commander Worthington," he called back over his shoulder. "Re-hail the fighter screen. See what's going on."

But Peppy already had a good idea what was going on. This whole thing was reckless, even for Panther, Star Wolf's resident Evil Knievle. There was no way one Wolfen could ever hope to defeat 200 Cornerian starfighters and get out alive. No Panther was smarter than that.

"There's no response, General," Worthington's voice cut into Peppy's thoughts.

"What's going on?" enquired Fox as the group made their way towards Peppy.

The old hare didn't answer right away. Instead, he turned towards Slippy's father. "Beltino, I want you to get working on a way to get a signal out past the comm dead area. I don't think we'll be getting any assistance from those fighters." Next, Peppy turned to Beltino's son. "And Slippy, take as many men as you need and head down to the hanger. See if you can get those stunt fighters into fighting condition."

They nodded. "We're on it." As the 2 frogs hurried away followed closely by Amanda, Peppy turned to answer Fox.

"I think Panther's pulled a fast one." he said grim faced.

In Peppy's office, the old hare sat typing away at his desk, searching the last month's transfer notices, for anything that might prove his theory.

"What're you looking for Peppy?" Fox enquired as he, Krystal, Falco, and Katt stood around the desk. What did you mean 'Panther pulled a fast one'?"

"I think Panther might have a contact in the Cornerian Military's higher ups," Peppy stated matter-of-factly. "It's downright unbelievable that Panther has been circling the ship this long and the fighters haven't budged. Not to mention the fact that he knew exactly where to hit us." Peppy read the last memo on the list and smacked the desk. There were no transfers in any of the stored messages folders.

"Dang it," Peppy said under his breath. There should be something there. Then suddenly Peppy realized something. What person in their right mind would make a transfer of that size and not delete the evidence? But would they think to erase.... Peppy closed the window on the holo- screen, and began accessing his computer's tombstone folders. And there among the ghosts of other deleted items were the 200 transfer memos he'd been looking for.

"Ah-ha!" Peppy exclaimed. The rest of the group gathered around to look at the new discovery. "This is what I was looking for Fox! 200 notices, transferring the pilots assigned to the fighter screen to different commissions!"

"So, wait! Then who's flying those fighters out there?" Falco asked.

"Could be some scum from Corneria's underbelly Panther hired," Fox suggested.

"Or more likely fighters on Auto-pilot," Peppy said. "In any case I was right, we're not getting any help on this one."

"What a dirty trick," Krystal said disgustedly. Peppy nodded.

"So, what's the plan, Fox?" Katt asked him with an inquisitive look. Fox was a little taken aback. He'd gotten used to people looking to Peppy for leadership, and all of a sudden he was in command. It wasn't a problem, though. Fox had a plan. He reached over to the intercom on Peppy's desk and radioed Slippy.

"Slippy, what's the status of those fighters?"

The frog's unusually high-pitched voice came gratingly from the speakers in the panel, "Slippy here, I have good news, Fox! The fighters down here are actually Arwings!"

Fox's heart did a small leap. "That's great Slippy! What's their status?"

"Well, all things considered they're in good shape! The lasers aren't as powerful as standard, but they have bombs! Only one apiece though, but that's okay!"

"Well, I'll be!" Peppy exclaimed in a hope filled voice. "Maybe we can pull this off after all!"

"Don't get too excited." Slippy said a little depressed sounding. "The biggest downside is their shield power is pretty weak. They won't survive very long against Panther's Wolfen.

"That sucks!" Falco shouted angrily.

"Is there any way you could boost the shield power, Slippy?" Fox enquired desperately.

"All ready on it, Fox!"

Fox grinned. "You're the best Slippy! How soon can you have them ready to launch?"

Slippy considered it a moment then answered, "Not long, Fox. Maybe five minutes."

"We don't have that much time." Peppy said gravely.

"Peppy's right. Can you make it 3?" Fox enquired.

"I'll do my best, but I can't promise anything." Slippy replied.

"Good enough. Thanks Slippy! Fox out." Fox terminated the link and turned back to the room at large. "Even with Arwings, I don't think Star Fox can protect a ship this size."

"So what do you propose then?" Peppy asked a little confused.

"Here's my plan," Fox said confidently. "Krystal, Falco, and I fly out and distract Panther. While we draw Panther away from the _Pleiades_, Slippy and Katt will escort a convoy of those emergency shuttles out of the dead zone and radio for help."

Peppy stroked his chin. "That's a pretty big risk, Fox. There's no guarantee Panther will take the bait, and if he doesn't, I don't think Slippy and Katt against Panther are good odds."

Katt glared at the old hare, "I don't like being insulted, you know!" she hissed defiantly.

"My apologies, Katt," Peppy said ashamedly. "I didn't mean to lowball your skills. You just don't have a lot of experience dealing with Star Wolf."

"This isn't Star Wolf!" Katt reminded him. "This is one guy, who is half insane with rage, which will dull his skills considerably! Trust me, I can handle him!"

"Besides, what other option do we have?" Fox asked. Before Peppy could reply, the intercom beeped. Peppy hit the "Accept" button and Lt. Commander Worthington's voice barked into the small office.

"General Hare, sir! We are receiving a message from the enemy ship. Text only. It's addressed to Mrs. McCloud."

"Patch it through to my office." Peppy ordered the vulpine as he closed the link. The small group huddled around the old hare as the text began scrolling across the holo-screen.

_Your time is up. You clearly do not value your lives, or the lives of the people on board. I should've expected nothing less from a heartless fiend like you. Perhaps you think I am not capable of doing you any serious damage to your vessel. I assure you that is a mistake. I will now give a demonstration of my true strength. Maybe then you will come quietly. There is no escape, Krystal! Come now, or embrace the destruction of everything you hold dear!_

As the group finished reading the harrowing message from their feline aggressor, the inter com beeped again, and Worthington's voice burst forth.

"General, the enemy ship is moving to stern. Sensors indicate a massive buildup of power within the ship itself! We believe he may be powering a weapon of some sort!" There was a moment of silence but Worthington again spoke in a strained voice. "General! He's targeting our engi—!"

Worthington was cut off as a huge explosion shook the ship from stem to stern. The lights of Peppy's office went out and the party was thrown off their feet as the ship began to plummet toward the sea. Peppy's desk slid towards the back wall, pinning the old hare there and knocking the wind out of him. Fox and Krystal dove left to avoid the incoming projectile while Falco dove right. Katt vaulted over the desk, having the best night vision, and was just in time to see a large bookcase falling straight towards her. She let out a terrified scream as she covered her head and waited for the concussion causing crack, but it never came. Instead she felt a sudden weight against her legs, and fell over onto Fox and Krystal.

The sudden inversion was corrected as the ship righted itself and a red emergency light flashed to life, throwing the office into soft relief. Falco lay pinned by the bookcase which he had pushed Katt from under. There was a bloody bump on his head and he lay limply on top of an unconscious Peppy who was injured in a similar manner.

Fox, Krystal, and Katt quickly shook of the post-dramatic shock and hurried over to rescue their trapped friends. As Fox and Krystal lifted the bookcase from atop Falco's limp body, Katt pulled the injured avian from the mess of thick heavy books and held his head in her lap.

"Falco? Falco! Wake up! Please wake up!" Katt pleaded desperately as though the falcon had any say in the matter. She continued her unheard pleas even as Fox and Krystal pulled Peppy from behind his own desk. They laid the 2 out side by side, and while Krystal helped Katt assess their injuries, Fox contacted the infirmary.

"This is Fox McCloud! I need a medical team in the General's office, now! 2 men down unconscious, probable fractured skulls! Please hurry!"

Fox turned his attention back to his friends, and kneeled down beside Krystal. Are you, alright?"

She nodded assent. "Yes, I'm fine. But I can't say the same for Falco. I'm reasonably sure he's fractured his skull, and broken a few ribs. I also suspect some internal bleeding." Krystal spoke gravely and looked at Fox, her face was extremely serious. "If he doesn't get medical attention soon, I'm not sure he'll make it."

Her words cut Fox deep. Falco was not only an essential member of Star Fox, but he was also Fox's closest friend. His loss would not only be a massive blow to the team, but also to Fox personally, as well as to Katt. Fox wasn't sure he could handle it, so he pushed that possibility to one side. Finally, he found the strength to speak, "What about Peppy?"

Krystal's face softened as she spoke, "He's unconscious. He's had the wind knocked out of him, and he's got a knot on his head, but I think he'll be fine."

From what I can tell, after Falco pushed Katt out of the way, the bookshelf hit him in the head, and he was blown back, and landed on Peppy, while the bookshelf landed directly above them. Then as the ship balanced out, the shelf slid down onto them." Krystal turned back to Fox.

"In other words Peppy owes his life to Falco. If he hadn't let the bookshelf hit him the way it did, it would have crushed Peppy's head as it fell."

"Lucky him," Fox said grimly. "Falco's going to milk this for all it's worth." Krystal gave him a sympathetic look. She regarded Fox brief stab at levity as a pleasing idea to combat the overwhelming odds.

It wasn't long before the medical team to arrived, and they carried Falco, and Peppy swiftly down the hall on stretchers. Katt, her eyes red rimmed from crying, something Fox had never seen her do, wanted desperately to follow, but Fox and Krystal reminded her that they still had a mission to carry out, and they led the sobbing feline to the nearest lift and departed for the bridge.

Several minutes later, General Pepper, a little shaken but not too worse for the wear, was briefing them on the bridge.

"After Worthington contacted you, there was a huge explosion and the ship began plummeting towards the sea," Pepper was saying. "As we leveled out, I was informed that Panther had fired a powerful beam weapon, and destroyed the main engines."

"He destroyed the main engines?" Fox exclaimed disbelievingly. "A Wolfen isn't powerful enough to do that!"

"He's obviously upgraded his ship," Krystal said in a matter-of-fact voice.

"Were there any casualties?" Fox asked concerned.

The General shook his head. "Minimal. But that's not the worst of it. Secondary explosions have damaged the ship's power supply. We're just barely keeping her in the air." The old hounds face was grave. "We have no choice but to evacuate."

"That was our plan to begin with," Fox said. "Half of Star Fox will take the Arwings in the launch bay and distract Panther, while the other half escort a convoy of ships out of the combat sector." Fox looked at Slippy who was also on the bridge. "Provided the ships are all right?"

Slippy spoke in a half cheerful manner. "The ships are fine. A few scratches but still flyable. Just say the word!"

"Excellent," Fox turned back to the General. "We need to get everyone to the emergency shuttles immediately!"

"Already started," The old hound growled assuredly. "You should get to the launch bay. We'll have your Arwings loaded in the lift lock by the time you get there."

"Thank you, sir," Fox saluted and turned his attention to his make-shift team. The faces of Krystal, Slippy, Katt, and Amanda stared back him. He took a deep breath, and said in his bravest voice: "Let's go, team!" The rag-tag group of animals bolted after Fox to the nearest lift.

In the hanger, Fox was briefing his team on his plan of attack. He had changed into a his standard Star Fox uniform, which he had dug out of his suitcase aboard his and Krystal's private shuttle, which was now being "boarded" by their 2 injured friends. Falco was still on a stretcher, his head was bandaged tightly with all manner of gauze and he was hooked up to an I.V.

Peppy, now conscious, was being wheeled aboard in a wheel chair, a large ice pack covered a similar bandage to Falco's. As Fox watched, Peppy gave him a thumbs up as he disappeared from sight."Take care of them, Bill!" Bill turned and shouted back, "Will do! Good luck!"

The rest of the team was dressed in standard green Cornerian flight suits, minus the helmets. The only one who was still dressed in their wedding attire was Krystal, who had refused point-blank to exchange her wedding dress for a flight suit. She had stated in no uncertain terms that the only way she and the dress would part, was if Fox took it off, and even then only if he had time to "cuddle afterwards". This remark was made through mental conversation to avoid unnecessary embarrassment, and was accompanied by a very explicit mental image that made Fox blush.

The plan was that Krystal would fly out first, giving the impression that she intended to "come quietly" in the hope that it would "save the ones she loved from further unnecessary injury." Then after a few minutes, Fox would fly out after her and they would both hit their boosters and lure Panther after them. Once Panther was a sufficient distance away, Slippy, Amanda, and Katt would launch and escort the departing shuttles towards the mainland.

"What if Panther doesn't take the bait?" Amanda asked her new team leader.

"Then Krystal and I pound him so he doesn't have time to stop the convoy." Amanda seemed satisfied, and Slippy put a stubby arm around her shoulder.

"When we get out there, things could get hairy," Fox explained in a serious voice. "But you must remember: the safety of the convoy is your first priority! I don't want any of you turning back until the convoy is safely out of the dead zone!" There was a moment of silence as the team let Fox's words sink in.

Fox looked at Krystal. He was taking an awful risk. He didn't want to jeopardize her safety, but she was the best pilot he had, and he was reasonably sure he couldn't take Panther alone. _Besides, _Fox reasoned with himself. _Panther won't hurt Krystal. She's the whole reason he's here._ _He wouldn't dare lay a finger on her._

Fox looked around at his friends. They had all been through so much, and yet they still struggled valiantly towards the bright light at the end of the tunnel. He was so proud that he knew them.

"I'm counting on you. Let's do this!"

And with that the team took off running towards the launch bay.

The lift lock was dimly lit as the team made their way to their respective Arwings. Fox had to compliment whoever had constructed them. They were exact duplicates of the ships the team had flown during the Aparoid Invasion. The words "Star Fox" were even tattooed on the left G-diffuser in the sane white crude scrawl. Obviously, the air show would have been about the team's exploits had it ever been performed.

The cockpit was already open and Fox vaulted up into the pilot's seat. Krystal and Katt followed suit, Krystal's similar to Fox, and Katt's more akin to Falco. Amanda hopped in her Arwing's pilot seat, not having the same grace and agility as the vixen or feline, but more coordination than Slippy who flopped into his starfighter.

Krystal began the start-up procedure first, not wanting to alert Panther to their plan by registering as 5 craft instead of just 1. As the cockpit glass lowered Krystal gave a final concerned look filled with love. _Be careful, my love._ She thought.

_You too, Krystal. _Came Fox's reply.

_I love you._

_I love you, too._

As the voice of Lt. Commander Worthing said, "Lift lock released," and her ship jerked down and forward, Krystal put her hands on the controls of her Arwing. She cleared her mind of all thought and focused on the task ahead. It would be tough, but she would not let such a careless mistake she'd made almost 6 months ago, ruin her chance at a happy future, with a happy family, with Fox.

General Pepper's voice came from the loud speaker behind the Arwings. "Good luck, Star Fox." Krystal felt her ship rush forward, and a sudden jerk as the Arwing cleared the launch bay and began spinning. She waited a good 15 seconds before firing the ships G-diffusers, then the spinning stopped as the wings snapped open. She located Panther's Wolfen and began her long trek to the enemy.

**Okay, so that was the longest chapter I've ever written! 7 pages!! Leave a review and tell me what you thought of it.**

**But before I go, I have a challenge for you. So we know by now that someone onboard the Pleiades had betrayed them. The questions are who and why. So, I want to know if you're all as smart as I think you are. After you've left a review, send me a PM with you're guess as to who is the traitor and why he/she did it. Now I know that most people don't like entering contests without a prize, so here's a small one from me to you:**

**Whoever is closest will have an OC created in honor of them and will be worked into the story!!!!!!! XD Yaaaayyyyy!!!! Please include a name for your OC and his/her species in your PM! **

**IMPORTANT: VOTING IS OPEN UNTIL I GET THE NEXT CHAPTER UP!!!! WHICH COULD BE LATE TONIGHT (it's 2:00 am) OR NEXT WEEKEND!!!!**

**Btw, you can only vote once!!! And no sending a PM under a different name!!!! Be honest!!!**

**Hope to hear from you! Night!**


	8. Fox's Facade

**Okay, so here's the next chapter! But let me say this first: Get busy with them PM's! I've only received maybe 3 measly responses! I know it's a little unreasonable to ask you guys to do that, but I want you to have as much fun with this as I do! And what's better than being in a story you like? Voting is open until next weekend! Leave a review if you please!**

Chapter 8: Fox's Facade

Panther watched as the lone Arwing approached his ship. So, had she finally resigned to her fate? He hoped so, otherwise he'd shoot her down without a moment's hesitation. Finally, he was getting what he deserved. _I'll wait until she's safely away, and then blast McCloud sky high! _Panther thought vengefully. _That will teach him to tread on my territory!_

Unbeknownst to Panther, Krystal was hearing every word. She exhaled sharply and glared at the upgraded Wolfen. She had never expected him to let anyone out alive. He was a filthy uncivilized animal!

Panther's Wolfen _The Black Rose _was much different from the rest of Star Wolf. Several bulky external power's sources now clung to the ship's slender frame. It appeared that Panther had crudely attached them to boost the power of his Wolfen's special weapon the Zapper.

"So that's how he destroyed the engines!" Krystal said quietly to herself. "He used those power sources to boost the power of the Zapper! I wonder how much energy that takes." Krystal began searching the hull for any implication that one of the large glowing generators had lost power. She couldn't see any change, but as she scanned the area telepathically, she heard a whisper of Panther's thoughts.

_Dang, that's one generator gone. Oh well, I still have three left. That's more than enough to take this ship down._

"So then, he's already lost one generator. I bet he also has to jettison them remotely," Krystal's thought hopefully. Maybe they could use that to their advantage. Once her ship was halfway between Panther's and the _Pleiades, _Krystal applied her brakes, bringing her ship to a complete halt. Panther noticed her sudden hesitation and called angrily over the comm, "Krystal! What do you think you're doing?" He growled menacingly. "I thought you were coming quietly."

"Change in plans, I'm afraid." Krystal said airily. "Now, Fox!"

Fox's ship, which was hovering out of sight on the underside of the _Pleiades, _came rocketing up at Panther. A charge pulse burned red on the tip of the Arwing's bow.

"Fox! Aim for the power generator clinging to right side!" Krystal shouted as she too lit her boosters.

Fox targeted the nearest generator, bringing the nose of his Arwing level with the green glow. "Take this, Panther!" he yelled and released the pulse as he passed. Unfortunately, Panther rolled away just in time, and watched the red streak pass harmlessly by him.

"You'll pay for that McCloud!" Panther roared and tore after the two purple-white trails of exhaust fleeing the scene.

"It's working!" Krystal cheered over the comm. "He's following us away from the _Pleiades!_"

"Yes, let's just hope he doesn't get wise," Fox said a little pessimistically. "Keep moving!"

"Right, Fox!" came Krystal's reply, and the 2 Arwings streaked off, Panther right on their heels.

Slippy waited patiently for Panther's ship to shrink away before sounding the all clear. It had surprised him that Fox had picked him to lead the mission. What with all the constant screwing up, Slippy would have thought himself the last choice for leader. But he couldn't let Fox's trust in him be shaken. He'd find some way of making this mission a success.

"All clear! Looks like Fox's plan worked!" Slippy said excitedly.

"Let's just get this convoy moving before they come back!" Katt said sounding frighteningly similar to Falco.

"Alright, move out!" Bill voice said in a gruff military bark. Soon ships began gliding out of the Pleiades's hanger bay, curving starboard towards the main land. Bill, piloting Fox and Krystal's shuttle, headed the precession of bulky white ships. Onboard, a still unconscious Falco lay quietly on one of the shuttle's couches, while Peppy sat up front in the cockpit with Bill. The old hare's headache was better thanks to the pain medication given to him in the infirmary, and he sat scanning the desultory radar screen.

_Good luck, you two,_ He thought to himself. _Let's hope your marriage isn't short lived._

It didn't take long for Panther to catch up. With all the extra power he was receiving from the generators his boost was far more powerful than the inferior Arwings. Did they really think they could outrun him? If they did, they were mistaken.

"He's right on our tails, Fox!" Krystal called over the comm. "Watch yourself!"

"I see him Krystal! Don't panic. He's nothing we can't handle together!"

"Oh, really?" Panther growled fiercely, unleashing s a stream of laser fire at Fox. The alarms of incoming fire blared in Fox's ears. The vulpine began rolling repeatedly, trying to keep the damage to his ship at a minimum. He felt a sudden jolt as a shot hit his ship, and he veered left, out of the line of fire.

Panther followed suit, keeping a steady stream of lasers behind Fox's ship. Krystal performed a spectacular U-turn and gave chase to the two fighters. "Back off Krystal, or McCloud dies!" Panther commanded her.

"Which one?" Krystal taunted. "There's 2 of us now!"

"Don't test me!" Panther's roar was deafening in the vixen's ears. Panther somersaulted over Krystal's Arwing to her rear, letting loose a barrage of red energy bolts. Fox sensed Krystal's plan, took the opportunity to apply his breaks. The two ships soared around him and Fox threw himself at Panther, lasers blazing. _The Black Rose's _shield proved much two strong; however, and the green bolts did only glancing damage. They served their purpose, though. Panther broke pursuit of Krystal's Arwing and spun up and around.

"What now, Fox?" Krystal enquired of her husband.

"Keep running, I guess," Fox said unenthusiastically.

"We can't run forever!" Fox could tell his wife was annoyed.

"And we can't take him alone!" Fox reminded her. "We have to stall for time!"

"Well, I hate having to play cat and mouse with this guy!" Krystal complained.

"I know. I'm not to crazy about it myself, but it's all we can do right now."

"I know," Krystal sighed disappointedly.

Suddenly, the 2 foxes realized something: Panther hadn't taken a shot at them in quite some time. Nor had he made a threatening remark.

"Krystal, where's Panther right now?" Fox enquired. Krystal turned her head to look back.

"He's not following us anymore!" She exclaimed apprehensively.

"If he's not behind us, then where is he?" Fox turned his head back in the direction of the _Pleiades_. A purplish white exhaust trail was shrinking away towards it.

"He's heading back!" Krystal exclaimed.

"Has he spotted the convoy?" Fox demanded worriedly. Krystal probed Panther's thoughts for a moment before answering.

"No, I don't think so," she said in a half-relieved voice. "I think he's trying to lure us back by going after the ship!"

"After him!" Fox cried, turning his ship and accelerating after the fleeing Wolfen. "We can't let him anywhere near the _Pleiades_ until the convoy's clear!"

As the 2 Arwings sped after Panther Krystal said over the comm. "Time for plan B, yes?" Fox swallowed. There was no other choice. He began charging a shot.

"Plan B." Fox said. Krystal's own charge pulse glowed crimson on Fox's left.

"Hm. Let's do it, Fox!"

Onboard the Pleiades, General Pepper sat in the Captain's chair on the bridge. The last of the shuttles were moving off towards the mainland on his right. On either side, Pepper could see the exhaust trails of the Arwings assigned to guard the small, bulky transports. They circled the convoy, trying to protect it from all sides, and keeping an eye out for trouble.

The old hound savored the taste of command. It felt good, and in the past few years he'd forgotten just how good it could be. He felt needed again. There was a sense of purpose that had been absent since he'd retired.

"General Pepper!" trilled Beltino Toad from his place at the communications terminal. He had been trying unsuccessfully to find a way to get a distress call out to the main land for the past half hour, and the General had begun to think that it was a lost cause.

Pepper rotated his chair toward the excited frog. "What is it Director Toad? Have you found something?"

"Indeed! I've been scanning around the perimeter trying to find a way to get a signal through the jam," The older amphibian fiddled nervously with his glasses. "Unfortunately, I haven't made much progress. But I did manage to find this."

A holographic read out appeared on the main view screen. On it, were different wave length patterns, frequencies and a map of the area. The Pleiades was represented be a large green triangle in the middle of the grid, surrounded by many small, blue dots that formed a dome.

"Those blue dots represent the jammers that've been placed around this area," the frog explained. "As you can see they surround the entire ship and prevent the use of the comm, radar, and subspace links. Now look at this." Beltino shifted the view and zeroed in on a section of the dome. There was a dot missing.

"An opening?" Pepper exclaimed.

"Indeed. One of the jammers appears to have malfunctioned, leaving a gap in the barrier! If we boost the strength of the signal to its maximum limit, we should be able to break through!" The frogs face darkened slightly as he said, "However, there's no guarantee that the signal will be strong enough to be noticed."

"Who cares!" Pepper exclaimed. "It's a shot!" The old hound pointed at Worthington. "Commander, I want any power we can spare rerouted through the communications array! We'll break through if it kills us!" The vulpine saluted and went about executing the General's orders.

A few minutes later all was in readiness. "Activating distress beacon!" cried Beltino as he finished calculating the needed figures.

"Let's just hope someone out there is listening." said General Pepper. Far away, on the main land, someone did hear it. Only it wasn't who the old hound had expected.

**Alright, so that was pretty short. Anyway leave a review! I know it was a little sloppy and I suck at writing action. But I hope you all enjoyed it! Voting is still open! **


	9. Two Foxes Down

**Okay! So now I know that there are definitely holes in my story. The back story is full of them! I just read the chapter before the Lucy and Krystal Ending and I've gotta say I like mine much better. So enjoy the fact that this story has sort of happier history than the actual events! Damn, I wanted this to be a possible continuation! Not just one made to imagine what if this happened. Oh well, that's what you get when you're too afraid to make the tough choices in Command. *sad face* I always end up on the Fox and Krystal Ending.**

**So that's basically the back story, though Amanda never joins the team (never liked that either) and there's still a party with Fox and Krystal finally making up. Pathetic, I know but I can't stand those other endings where they don't make up! IT AIN'T RIGHT!!! STUPID NINTENDO!!!!! *sobbing* Sorry, about that. Anyway, *blows nose* here's the next chapter! **

Chapter 9: Two Foxes Down

_The Black Rose_ approached the _Pleiades_. Unnoticed tears stung Panther's eyes as he thought about the past several months. He had been so happy when he'd discovered Krystal had "left" Star Fox. Finally, a chance at the beautiful blue-furred vixen had presented itself. And her current emotional state made her vulnerable to other influences. Her love for Fox had been wounded, and he could make himself an outlet for those emotions that needed a home.

And so it began, those wonderful 3 months of nothing but her. He had benched that lust that had been his drive with women, and devoted himself to Krystal. He had bought her everything she wanted, taken her to dinner at fancy restaurants, and to see all the new movies.

But as time went by, Panther's desires began overwhelming his affections for Krystal, and Panther began thinking of ways he could trap her into sex. Taking her to plays that would make her cry seemed like a good idea, but that met with little success. He arranged for them to be mugged while out walking one evening, and after defeating the would be thieves expected Krystal to throw herself into his arms. Instead, she had given him a small lecture on how she didn't need him to protect her. Nothing seemed to work, until one day Fox showed up on Corneria.

He had kept a low profile, not wanting to call attention to himself and cause a scene. However, Krystal had sensed him. She and Panther had been having breakfast at a diner near her building, they were having a last meal together before her re-assignment to Katina.

All of a sudden, her ears perked up and she looked fixedly out of the window. Fox was walking down the sidewalk outside the restaurant. Without a word Krystal had ducked out into the street. Panther had followed. For almost 5 hours she'd tailed Fox around Corneria until he'd returned to his hotel. After that, she too had returned home and spent a long time locked in her room sobbing. Panther saw his chance. With all those nasty emotions overwhelming her better judgement, she would be more open to the idea of a physical relationship. She would need a way to intensify her revenge.

_Panther knocked softly at Krystal's apartment door. There was no answer to his knock, but he knew Krystal could sense it was him. He let himself in and the door hissed as it slid aside for him. He could here heavy breathing from the bedroom and proceeded towards the noise. Krystal's door was closed and locked from the inside and Panther could hear the vixen's sobs._

_Panther stretched out his hand to knock, but before his knuckles touched the metal door a strangled sorrowful voice cried from within the room. "Go away!" Krystal resumed sobbing._

"_Krystal, my darling space rose, what causes you to suffer so deeply?" Panther purred sympathetically. "Tell Panther and he will make it right."_

"_Don't play dumb with me!" Krystal spat through the door. "I know you were following me! You saw him!" Krystal's sobs became muffled as she hid her head in arms._

"_Yes, Panther did see him. I see what he has done to you, how much he hurt you!" Panther's voice became slightly angry as he roared in insincere righteous anger. "You gave him your love, and in return he tossed you aside on a whim!" His voice softened as he let the words seep into Krystal. "But now, you have me." He purred. "You now have what he does not, someone totally devoted to you." It was becoming easier now, the words rolled off his tongue as his voice became more seductive. "We can make you're revenge on him complete, my sweet!"_

_Panther heard her get up from the bed and release the locking mechanism of the door. It opened to reveal Krystal's slender blue form leaning seductively against the door frame. Her eyes were red, and her clothes rumpled, but everything about her screamed "Take me now!" _

_When she spoke her voice was soft and sweet. "We could couldn't we?" Slowly swinging her hips from side to side, Krystal grinned at him suggestively. Panther grinned right back at her. She leaned in, mouth slightly open for a deep kiss. Panther closed his eyes and leaned in as well, opening his arms to embrace her._

_Krystal opened her eyes and took a step backward. With one swift fluid movement she swung her right shin up into Panther's testicles. The jungle cat gave a loud "oof!" and collapsed to the floor._

"_Pervert!" she snarled at the pathetic lump on the floor. "How could you think I'd do it with you right now! You must be insane to think I'd give up my virginity to you when I'm this upset." Ignoring Panther's moans of agony Krystal stepped over him and towards her front door. Pulling on her boots she turned back to Panther with a contemptuous look on her face. "I'm going out again, and if you know what's good for you, you'll be gone when I get back!" The door hissed as the vixen left her apartment._

Panther didn't see Krystal for a while after that. She'd moved to Katina shortly thereafter and hadn't had much time for him. The next time Panther saw her was the day he asked her to join Star Wolf. It had been the perfect solution to his problem. What he hadn't expected was her hesitance. That was the straw that broke the camel's back. All the pent up anger of the last 3 months came pouring out of him. He had apologized directly after finishing, but that didn't stop Krystal's wrath. She shouted at him about how much she hated McCloud, how she hated Star Fox, about all the resentment she had towards everyone of her friends. This had made Panther hopeful. If Krystal was that furious with McCloud that she was trashing every one of her friends, there might be hope for her to join yet.

And then he had to come. McCloud had swooped down out of nowhere, as a wave of Angler fighters bore down upon them. And just as Panther had begun to hope for a life with Krystal, she was gone. Gone back to Star Fox, only to fight the Anglars she'd assured him as she'd left. She promised she'd come back.

Now, here he was. Bitter, heartbroken, and shunned by the one he loved who had married the very fox she'd claimed to hate not 3 months before. Well, that was all history now. She would belong to him yet. That life he'd dreamed about in his purer moments was not gone completely. It could still be achieved.

Panther's ship gave a large jolt as his ship was struck by 2 charged pulses from behind. Panther's swung his head around. His yellow eyes glared behind him at Fox and Krystal's Arwings. A alarm sounded and a readout appeared on the Wolfen's HUD. The foxes' shots had damaged one of the generators. Accelerating his ship towards the massive space liner that was his target. His eyes narrowed. "If it's a fight you want," he growled. "It's a fight you'll get!"

Fox and Krystal's Arwing's engines whined as the two foxes chased after their feline aggressor. The single laser of each shot bolt after bolt of bright green light at the damaged generator on _The Black Rose's _starboard side. Without Slippy's analytical genius, the couple were finding it hard to tell how much damage had been done to the flickering green glow, and were relying heavily on Krystal's Sixth Sense for confirmation their efforts weren't in vain.

They must have been doing something right, as Panther kept having to barrel roll away from the torrent of emerald fire. But the generator simply would not go down! "Is that the best you've got McCloud?" Panther laughed over the comm.

"Not by a long shot!" Fox snarled back, charging up another pulse to shoot at the infuriating feline.

"Fox!" Krystal's voice rang in Fox's ears. "I feel it! The generators almost gone! One more shot should do it."

"Thanks Krystal!" Fox readied his pulse as the targeting computer locked onto the fleeing ship. "Take this, Panther!" The red charge sizzled through the air towards Panther's rear, striking it soundly on the right flank. The generator broke into a million pieces on contact and plummeted harmlessly into the sea.

"Graaaaaghh!" Panther howled as the jolt hit his ship, and broke right, away from the _Pleiades_. "You'll pay for that!" he snarled over the comm at Fox. Panther suddenly swerved up away from the two Arwings, performing a spectacular corkscrew. Fox and Krystal followed, hot on his tail. Suddenly, 3 tiny balls shot from _The Black Rose_ back toward them.

"Watch out!" Fox yelled as he just barely avoided a collision with one. "Krystal, are you alright?" Fox asked concerned.

"I'm okay," Krystal assured him.

"What were those things?" Fox's question was answered almost immediately as the 3 balls began firing a steady stream of red lasers at them.

"Remote turrets!" Krystal exclaimed as she began rolling and weaving back and forth trying to avoid the enemy fire. Fox's ship bucked as one turret's lasers caught him off guard.

"I'll take care of them!" They both yelled as the 2 Arwings somersaulted over the incoming turrets. It took a moment for the turrets to re-acquire them as targets. Fox and Krystal took advantage of this and let loose a volley of their own fire, destroying 2 and disabling another.

"Nice shot!" The too foxes' complimented each other.

"Where's Panther?" Fox searched the skies for the jungle cat's Wolfen.

"Fox, over there!" Krystal said curving to port. Panther's ship was hovering over the _Pleiades_'s bridge at an odd 90 degree angle. A large blue glow was intensifying between the prongs of the ship's fuselage.

"Fox! He's going to—" Krystal was cut off by Panther's triumphant growling.

"So, it appears I have you now!" Panther's laughed maniacally, sounding terrifyingly like Leon. "What will you do now, my sweet? Pull another one of your fancy distractions out of your ears?"

"Possibly," Krystal growled.

"I will give you one more chance! Panther snarled. "Krystal, will you be accompanying me back to where you truly belong?"

Fox dreaded Krystal's answer. He understood that it was for the safety of the people aboard the _Pleiades, _but it just wasn't fair!

"Never!" Krystal snarled. Fox and Panther both gaped at her. Neither had expected that answer!

"What did you just say?" Panther asked confused.

"Krystal?" Fox enquired of his wife.

"I know what I'm doing, Fox," Krystal assured him. _Trust me._ She said mentally.

Fox had his doubts, but remembered what Peppy had told him not 2 hours before:

"_Krystal has to be your lover, your confidant, your partner, and your best friend all in one. You have to be the same for her. You can't judge her, you must be sensitive, commanding, but respectful of her wishes and take them into consideration. You must keep her best interests at heart but again be respectful of her skills." _

The 3 ships just hung there for several seconds while Fox recollected his mentor's words.

"You're right, Krystal." Fox nodded. "Panther, I won't ever give Krystal up! Not to you! Not to anyone!"

"Then you leave me no choice!" Panther roared. But just as he was about to release the beam, Panther spotted several twinkling lights in the distance. Exhaust trails? From....

Suddenly, it all made sense. Why would Krystal, a kind and caring vixen, let a ship full of innocent people be killed? She wouldn't! But what if this wasn't a ship full of innocent people? What if this was a decoy, left here to distract him while the passengers got away on shuttles? That made sense!

Panther gave a furious roar, and spinning his ship towards the blinking lights, released the Zapper's blue beam. The brilliant blue arrow soared off into the distance and out of sight.

Onboard one of the last emergency shuttles, Commander Regina Teera sat at the helm, disguised as a Cornerian infantryman. She was enjoying herself immensely, even though she flown more interesting ships than this in an arcade simulator. The rush of espionage coursed through her as she sat quite alone in the cockpit of the nearly empty shuttle. She couldn't believe how easy it had been to set things up perfectly. The transfer of all the pilots in the fighter screen was the easiest by far, she was the General's aid after all. Stealing his authorization code, she had made the transfers, insuring that there would be no real help for the incompetent higher-ups and their hosts. Then it was the simplest thing to rewrite the Auto-Pilot program and upload it into the 200 fighters. Making sure, of course, that the mechanics who did the pre-flight check-ups were ones already on her pay roll.

Then simply signaling Caroso from the Bridge of the _Pleiades_ when all was in readiness, she had gone down and pretended to enjoy the wedding. Revenge was indeed sweet.

'_And soon,'_ she thought activating the Auto-Pilot, throwing her feet up on the co-pilot's chair and lacing her fingers behind her head. _Not only will I have my revenge, but that gorgeous ball of blue fuzz will be mine for the taking!_

Teera closed her eyes and imagined Krystal cheering Temptress Teera on, along with her other girlfriends. Imagined Krystal's limp, naked form as she lay in a pile of other girls on Teera's large bed, sleeping off the alcohol and assorted drugs in her system. It made her womanhood tingle just thinking about it!

Teera still remembered the night she'd met Krystal.

_It had been a rather good night in the racing circuit. Temptress Teera had literally destroyed the competition at every turn of the track, and by the time she finished the final lap, there were no other racers left on the track._

_To celebrate her victory, Teera had taken some of her girlfriends to the Pig's Knuckle, a successful bar in the Cornerian upper city. After they had been there for a few hours, Teera had spotted a rather peculiar commodity sitting alone at the bar. _

_A blue vixen, the only one Teera had ever seen, tossed back a large bottle of whiskey and gulped down a quarter of it's contents, before replacing it on the bar. Her eyes were red rimmed from crying, and her hair and fur was disheveled, but the vixen was still undeniably the most beautiful vixen Teera had ever seen._

_Her breasts were firm and round, and had that perky quality about them that most vixen's lost after turning 23. Her ass was finely shaped, almost sculpted looking and Teera wanted nothing more at that moment than to kneed it between her fingers. The vixen had beautiful curves, and long slender legs covered by her loose fitting pajama pants. Her torso was covered only by a white tank top, and she wore sandals that revealed fading white toenail polish._

_It had taken a few moments for Teera to realize who she was seeing. It was Krystal, of the Star Fox Team. Teera had seen her around the base a few times, when General Pepper had a mission for them, but she had never met her up close._

_What the hell is she doing here? Teera had wondered. I heard rumors she had been thrown off Star Fox by McCloud, but I never thought it was true. Isn't she supposed to be in love with him? Man, she must be devastated! _

_And that's when it hit her. She must be devastated! This was her chance to nab one of Lylat's most beautiful, most famous vixens for herself! Smoothing out her wild hair, Teera had climbed over the drunk lesbian group, and headed over to the bar where the blue beauty sat taking another swig of the whiskey bottle._

"_Hi," Teera cooed in her sweetest, sexiest voice. Krystal looked back with bloodshot eyes, hardly registering her presence._

"_Hello," she returned in her slurred Cerinian accent._

"_My name's Regi," Teera introduced herself. "Can I buy you a drink?"_

"_Get away from her!" cried a cracklely voice filled with contempt. Teera looked towards the door to the pub, intending to tell whoever it was to piss off. An wizened old hare in a long tan overcoat was walking over to the 2 vixens, shaking with rage. Something like fear Teera crossed Teera's face as she recognized him. General Peppy Hare!_

_Teera waited for any sign that the old fart recognized her. When none was forthcoming, she realized her appearance was so different than the one the General usually saw, that he couldn't recognize her._

"_Get! Lost!" The old hare's voice was dangerous and she could see the point of a blaster sticking out from under his coat. Calmly she reached in to bra, and withdrew a calling card. The name "Regi" along with her personal comm channel number was printed there._

"_Give me a call sometime." Teera slid the card with one finger over to Krystal. "C'mon ladies! We're leaving!" The group of laughing girls got up and walked clumsily towards the door. Teera turned to the barkeep. "Put it on my tab, Randal." A gray fox with racoon style markings looked up from cleaning a beer mug and nodded._

"_Right Reg," he said. "Have a good night!"_

_Teera looked back towards the bar as she left. The General was talking quietly with Krystal at the bar, holding the whiskey where she couldn't reach it. Teera bared her fangs and glared vindictively at the pair. Yet another one I owe you, General! She thought as she walked out the door._

After that, she had kept close watch on that young vixen. She had waited for her chance,

when the time came that Peppy was nowhere to be found, that was when she would strike. For almost a year she waited and still Peppy was keeping a close watch on her. Teera found it very annoying. Why wouldn't he just leave her alone? Why couldn't he at least turn his back for 2 seconds and let the little lamb wander where the wolves could get to her.

Finally, came a day that Peppy was on a business trip to Katina, and Krystal had the day off. Teera had rushed down to her apartment to ask the vixen to go to lunch with her. As her superior officer, Krystal would never refuse an invitation to dine with Teera.

But as Teera had approached the building, she had seen two figures walking down the sidewalk. One was Krystal, who walked at a leisurely pace, face to the sky. The other Teera recognized as Panther Caroso, a member of Star Wolf. They were walking towards a small diner near the building, hand in hand.

Teera put her underground contacts to good use, and without much unnecessary expense, discovered that Panther and Krystal had been dating for just under 3 months. This was discouraging news. Even with all her underworld contacts, Teera wouldn't dare cross a member of Star Wolf, a team whose name was as infamous as Star Fox's was famous.

And so Teera had waited. Waited for the day that Krystal would tire of him, and go to seek companionship elsewhere. That was when she'd pounce. But as weeks turned into months, and Krystal left the military to rejoin Star Fox, Teera became even more discouraged, and began to forget about Krystal. She was just a trifling fancy after all, wasn't she?

It was after the announcement of Fox and Krystal's Wedding that Teera's fury started to boil. After all those months of pining after that beautiful vixen, she was going to lose to the fox who dumped her? It wasn't fair.

_A few nights after the announcement, Teera was sitting alone at the bar of the Pig's Knuckle, sipping a beer and mooning over unfair life was, when a voice suddenly asked: "Are you Regi Teera?"_

_Teera looked up. Standing there above her was Panther Caroso, member of Star Wolf, and fellow competitor for Krystal's affections._

"_Yeah, that's me." she said spitefully. "What about it?"_

"_Allow me to introduce myself. I am Panther Caroso."_

"_I know who you are."_

"_I have a proposition for you."_

And so it had been arranged. Teera would be Panther's contact on the _Pleiades_ and make sure that there was nothing to hinder his escapade, and in return he would supply her with some very expensive and highly illegal racing equipment. Though secretly Teera's motivation was Krystal as well. Maybe McCloud and Caroso would kill each other in the fight. And then Krystal would again be in a vulnerable state where Teera could take advantage of her. And this time, she would make sure there was no General Peppy Hare to play watch dog!

The comm chatter was like white noise in her ears. With these pleasant thoughts still in her mind, Regi "Temptress" Teera dozed off in her seat. The next time she woke up, all she heard was a huge explosion and saw a blinding flash of blue.

There was complete chaos among the convoy as the Zapper's super powered shot disintegrated one of the emergency shuttles. "What the hell was that?" Katt panted.

"Looked like some kind of beam weapon!" Amanda exclaimed.

"Watch yourselves team!" Peppy's voice came over the comm. "That was probably the same weapon Panther used to destroy the engines!"

"Peppy!" Slippy exclaimed joyously.

"You're okay!" Amanda croaked happily.

"Aren't you guys listening," hissed Katt annoyed. "That weapon was the one Panther used to destroy the engines! If he fired it this way, that means there's a good chance we've been spotted!"

"Oh my gosh! You're right!" Slippy croaked a little scared. "Bill? How far are away from the dead zones edge are we?"

"We're about 5 minutes out!" Bill barked over the comm. "You guys just gotta hang in there a little while longer!"

"I hate to break up your conversation, but we've got trouble!" Katt yelled. Sure enough, Panther's Wolfen was becoming larger, more distinct on the horizon.

"Uh, Bill? We need you to pick up the pace!" Slippy urged his friend.

"I'll do what I can, but no promises!" Bill barked worriedly back.

"Alright team! Let's go get 'em!" Slippy cheered semi-confidently. The three other Arwings formed up behind Slippy's and zoomed off towards Panther.

Fox and Krystal kept up with Panther as best they could, pushing their ships to the very limit. Fox checked his shield gauge. It was half gone.

"Krystal? How are your sheilds holding up?" Fox asked his wife. There was a brief pause while she checked.

"A little more than half," she stated. "How bout you?"

"About the same. We need to make every little bit count!"

"No need to tell me." Both foxes were tired of all the fighting, this was supposed to be their day! Why did this day have to be the one Panther would show up and try to take his revenge?

"Fox! I think he's slowing down!" Krystal alerted him.

"Get ready!" Fox called over the comm. The Wolfen did several barrel rolls to deflect the oncoming laser fire from Star Fox's ships, then wagged the nose side to side, up and down, confusing the oncoming aggressors. 3 Arwings flew past in formation. Fox and Krystal rolled to avoid a collision with their teammates as they passed.

"Fox! Krystal!" Slippy said excitedly. "You're okay!"

"Of course we are!" Krystal exclaimed teasingly. "What do you think we'd get shot down by this overgrown bag of weeds?"

For the first time Panther did not respond to the insults and instead flew right into the convoy, shooting right and left, trying to take down as many transports as possible.

"Fox!" Peppy's shouted over the comm. "Keep this guy off our backs until we can get past the dead zone!"

Fox was overjoyed to hear the old hare's voice but only nodded in response. "Will do, Peppy! Star Fox, after that Wolfen!"

The battle raged for several minutes. Each time Star Fox got close to cornering the feral jungle cat, he'd somehow manage to slip between them and go after another transport.

"Dang, this guy just won't give up!" Katt exclaimed as Panther got away from her for the fifth time.

"Fox! He's right behind me!" Slippy cried as Panther began pelting the frog's craft with laser fire. "Somebody help me!"

"I've got you Slippy!" Amanda screamed and moved into position behind Panther. "Hands off my boyfriend!" she cried pounding him with green bolts.

Unfortunately, Panther rolled quickly away and applied his breaks dropping behind Amanda, and readying the Zapper at it's regular strength. "Annoying girl!"

"Amanda! Watch out!" Krystal exclaimed as Panther fired. Amanda and Slippy rolled away and the beam passed harmlessly by them.

"Thanks, Krystal! Amanda said. "I owe you one!"

"You're welcome!"

"We need a new plan!" Katt exclaimed as Panther slipped away again. "We can't do this forever!"

"We need to distract him so that we can each throw our bombs at him!" Amanda agreed.

"How do we do that?" Slippy wondered.

"We have to get him really angry!" Krystal told them.

"What make's him angry?" Katt asked dodging another laser blast.

Krystal thought for a moment, which wasn't easy as Panther was now throwing shots her way and she had to keep rolling to minimize the damage. Finally it came to her. It was a long shot but it had worked in the past. It was also slightly embarrassing but there weren't any other options, so she decided to try it. "This!"

Krystal spoke now exclusively to Fox. "Fox! I love you! I love you with all my heart and I'm so happy I married you!"

Fox felt confused. "Krystal? Is now the best time to be saying this?"

"Do you love me, Fox?"

Fox felt his cheeks burn. "You know I do, Krystal!"

"Then say it! Tell me how much you love me!"

As Fox listened he began to understand what Krystal's plan was.

"Guys! Now's your chance!" Fox turned his attention back to Krystal. "Krystal! I love you more than all the planets in Lylat put together!"

"And I love you more than anything else in the world!" Krystal said excitedly over Panther's loud roars for them to shut up. "And tonight I'm going to make sure you have the best sex of your life!"

Fox's ears really burned at that one but they had the desired effect. With a raging roar Panther tore after Fox, the red of his laser cannons flashing crimson around his Arwing.

"Slippy! Amanda! Katt! Krystal! Now!" Fox shouted. The four Arwings advanced on Panther's Wolfen flanking him. They all shot their nova bombs at Panther, and the bright light from the explosions forced the pilots to cover their eyes.

As the light faded away, the Star Fox Team opened their eyes again. Panther was nowhere to be seen. "Did we get him?" Slippy enquired looking around for any trace of the enemy Wolfen. Fox brought his ship to a halt as he surveyed the landscape.

"It's over."

"Not quite!" Panther roared as he de-cloaked behind Fox, the Zapper charged and ready to fire again.

"Fox!" Krystal cried. She charged Panther's ship guns blazing. Panther merely rolled over her and kept his aim on Fox.

"Panther has you now!" Panther laughed triumphantly. Fox shut his eyes and waited for his destruction.

Suddenly, a large missile hit Panther's ship. The Wolfen started to buck as more missles of the same type began exploding around it.

"What the heck is going on?" Fox demanded as he ducked and swerved to avoid the incoming projectiles.

"Fox! Look!" Krystal exclaimed excitedly. Fox looked upwards. A large ship, a Cornerian Assault Carrier, loomed overhead casting a dark shadow over the convoy.

"_Great Fox II_, standing by to assist," came a familiar robotic voice.

"ROB!" Fox exclaimed overjoyed than he had been in a long time to see the rusted old pile of junk.

"How'd you find us?" Slippy asked disbelievingly.

"_Great Fox II _detected a weak distress signal from this area. No ship but the Pleiades is allowed within this area for the next 4.2 hours."

"Well, it's good to see you ROB." Krystal sighed relieved. "If you hadn't arrived when you did—"

"McCloud!!!" Panther roared. Fox turned to look down at the _Black Rose_. It had been shot down, and was now floating in the sea. It's bow was pointing directly towards Krystal's Arwing, the fully charged Zapper hissed and spat sparks as it came in contact with the water.

"You can't win!" Panther's voice was hoarse, possessed with rage, sorrow, and panic. "If I can't have her, nobody can!" Just as the last of the Black Rose sank beneath the water's surface, the Zapper blew through the ocean wall.

"Krystal!" Fox shrieked. An image of Falco pushing Katt out of the way of a falling bookcase filled his head. Without thinking he pushed the Arwing's boost to full throttle. He sped towards Krystal. The beam was feet from her. She screamed. Bam!

Fox's Arwing smashed Krystal's aside, severely denting the ship's underside and cracking the canopy. Fox's own canopy burst into a million pieces, raining shards of glass down upon him. Pain gripped him as several pieces cut into his arms and legs. There was also a large jolt as the Zapper incinerated his left wing and fried 2 G-diffusers. The blue beam sped up in to the underside of the _Great Fox II. _There was a huge explosion as the ship split in two, the command module plummeting towards its owners and the hanger towards the convoy.

"Warning! Warning! Fuel line hit! Hull integrity failing! Probability of survival—"

Fox never heard the last part. He and Krystal, unable to move, were hit by the falling command module and began their own descent to the ocean's thrashing maw.

As Fox hit the water, he could have sworn he heard Krystal's voice say faintly.

"Fox...Are..you..al..alright..my love?"

**Woah! WTF????!!!!!!! I just shot down Fox and Krystal!!!???? And the Great Fox II????!!! Tune in this weekend and find out what happens!!!! Anyway, the next chapter will be the last. In this story! I'm not going to leave you hanging so don't worry! I'm just starting a new story for the Honeymoon!! Oh! Btw, Did you notice I added in the OC for our big winner...........(Drum roll).........ninjafoxshadow!!!!!! This guy hit it right on the nose!!!! So, I'm sorry I could only give your character Randal the Barkeep at the Pig's Knuckle, a bit part in this story, but I will work into my other stories somehow, You have my word!!! **

**FYI: This next chapter is the one with Sexual Content!!! And "There will be Sex" LOL!! LEAVE A REVIEW!!! GOOD NIGHT IT'S 3:00 IN THE AM!!!!**


	10. First Night

**Alright everybody! Last chapter time! Note: you don't have to read the whole thing to get the know the ending. The last part of this is the sex scene I promised ya. So if you're not into that, don't read farther than the first couple of scenes. Btw, I think this chapter kinda goes along with a song by Joshua Radin. It's called Brand New Day. Try listening to it while you read this chapter! **

Chapter 10: First Night

Fox's eyes were filled with a bright light. His vision was blurred and his limbs felt stiff as he lay on something soft and warm. There were the sounds of muffled voices, and the beeps of several machines all around him. There were sounds of heavy breathing to his left and Fox turned instinctively towards the noise. A deep blue shape lay suspended on something gray which Fox could not see make out. Someone was sleeping.

As Fox's eyes began to adjust, the blue shape on the bed became more distinct, slowly materializing into the beautiful blue vixen that Fox knew so well. "Krystal!" Fox called weakly to his wife. He tried to reach out to her but found that he hadn't the strength.

"It's alright," said a crackly voice on Fox's right. Fox shifted his head towards it. Peppy sat in a hovrt chair at Fox's bedside. His eyes gleamed with kind understanding at Fox. "She's just resting."

"Peppy..." Fox groaned hoarsely. "What happened?" Peppy's face hardened, but only slightly.

"What's the last thing you remember?"

Fox fought through the haze his mind was still in after being unconscious, trying to recall how he'd gotten here.

"Panther fired the Zapper," He murmured, fitting the first piece into the puzzle. "It was heading...for Krystal. I....rammed her ship to....to save her." Yes, it was all coming back now. "The beam grazed me... and hit the _Great Fox II_! It exploded. Half of it was falling towards us! I couldn't move! And then it hit us! I was going down! And I could've sworn I heard Krystal asking me if I was alright!" Fox's voice was urgent as it all came pouring back. "And then, I blacked out."

Peppy was nodding his head in approval. "Good, you remember." The old hare adjusted his new spectacles on his nose and continued. "Well, after the _Great Fox II _was shot down, I had Bill turn us around so we could come get you. I was worried that the command module had come down on top of you, but luckily it just grazed you as it came down. Your diversion allowed the convoy to get into comm range, and radio for help." Peppy's face darkened. "We lost a few transports though. Some of our most distinguished officers and politicians were lost."

Fox's heart began sinking again. Guilt and despair washed over him as his dark thoughts from earlier returned. "And I know what you're thinking, Fox! It wasn't you're fault! If it hadn't been for you and the rest of Star Fox, we would've lost more than just the people on board those ships!"

"But it was me that drew him here!" Fox moaned. "If I hadn't proposed to Krystal—"

"Don't talk like that Fox!" Peppy said sternly, standing up and taking Fox's head between his hands. "You not proposing when you did would only have delayed the inevitable! Panther would have come for Krystal eventually, and she might have been a lot more willing to go had you not propsed!" Peppy was shaking Fox now, trying desperately to drive his point into the vulpine's fevered mind. "So, don't you think for one second that things would be better if you two hadn't gotten engaged! It's not true, ya hear! Not true!"

They old hare stopped his harassment of Fox, and clutched his head, sinking back down into his chair. "I'm sorry, Fox." The old hare apologized. "I just don't want you coming out of this with regrets, not this soon." Pointing over to the sleeping vixen on the opposite bed, he continued. "When we dropped down to pick you up, Krystal was awake, screaming at us to pick you up first. She wouldn't let us approach until we got you onboard."

"Of course, by the time we'd done that, her ship was nearly sunk. We managed to get her out alright though, and she stayed by your side even when we reached this hospital. Neither of your injuries were life threatening, though you had a fair amount of glass in you." The rabbit's demeanor became cheerful.

"But you responded well to health packs, and I'm happy to report you're both good as new!" The old hare chuckled and put a reassuring hand on Fox's shoulder. "So, can you walk yet?"

Fox flexed his soar limbs, wiggling his fingers and toes to make sure everything still worked properly. He could feel his mind clearing from the fog the anesthesia had left behind. When all was satisfactory, Fox nodded. "Yeah, I think so."

"Excellent!" The old hare grinned and rolled his wheel chair around Fox's bed towards the one Krystal was occupying. Fox realized for the first time that she was still in her wedding dress. Fox couldn't believe her stubbornness. Was she going to wear that thing until it fell apart?

Then he remembered what she'd told him earlier. "_This dress comes off," _she'd said mentally. _"When you take it off, Fox! And only if you intend to 'cuddle' afterwards!"_

Fox's cheeks burned as he recalled the mental picture of them she'd sent him as she thought this. _What a vixen! She's so devoted she won't let anyone take her dress off but me!_ Fox thought proudly.

"Come on, let's wake her up," Peppy invited Fox beckoning him over to Krystal's bedside. Fox swung his legs over the edge of his hospital bed, and eased himself onto his feet. Taking a moment to check his balance, Fox tip-toed over to his sleeping beauty.

"You'd better do the honors," Peppy whispered in Fox's ear. Bending down, Fox blew a gentle stream of air into his wife's face, stirring the midnight blue locks of hair that had fallen into her serene face.

"Krystal...." Fox cooed in a kindly whisper. She began to stir. Fox leaned in and softly kissed her barely visible lips. It was the first one they'd shared since their wedding kiss, and Fox backed it up with his love, letting it flow from his lips into her.

Krystal's eyes opened briefly, taking in the scene. But when she saw who was kissing her, she let them slide closed again, enjoying her first moment of bliss in the entire evening.

As their lips parted, Krystal opened her jade eyes and gazed lovingly into Fox's emerald irises. "Hey," she sighed contentedly, giving him a affectionate smile. Fox grinned back.

"Hey."

"You okay?" Krystal enquired.

"Fine. You?"

"Wonderful." Krystal sat up. She looked down at Peppy with a thankful smile. "Thanks for waking me."

"No problem," the old hare chuckled.

"Is everything ready?" she asked eagerly.

"And waiting," Peppy smiled again. "Just as you requested, m'lady."

"Excellent!" Krystal gave Fox a once over glance. "Why aren't you dressed?"

"Dressed?" Fox was confused. Why would he be dressed? This was a hospital!

"Yes dressed! I don't think you can go to Sauria in a hospital gown!"

"Sauria?" Fox was dumbfounded. "But I thought since—"

"What? You think I'd let a few cuts and bruises get between me and my Honeymoon?" Krystal gave him a fake stern look. "You know me better than that, don't you Fox?"

"W-Well–I-I just–uh– that is I thought-uh-that! What I mean is– No-I mean yes! I—!"

Krystal laughed and gave Fox a hug. She kissed him, and pointed to a pile of folded clothes on the room's dresser. "Go on, get dressed! I'll wait for you out here!" Fox grinned and gave a small chuckle, before disappearing into the bathroom with the clothes.

Fox and Krystal stepped out into the cool evening air atop the hospital's roof. It was pleasantly dark out, and in the distance the lights of Corneria City winked at them from across the bay. The military base hospital was situated on a peninsula overlooking the vast ocean on one side of a large bay. The sea air was intoxicating and the two foxes enjoyed the feeling of the wind on their faces and, in Krystal's case, hair.

As they approached the roof's emergency pad, on which was located their private shuttle, 8 faces welcomed them. Lucy, Amanda, and Slippy all rushed forward to mob Fox and Krystal. They had all changed out of the hideous green flight suits, and now sported her usual attire.

"Fox! You feeling okay?" Slippy enquired anxiously.

"How about you, Krystal?" Lucy asked her friend.

"We're both fine." Fox assured their concerned friends.

"Really!" Krystal finished. "We're just ready to be on our way!"

"Fox," yelled Bill coming over. He and Katt were hefting a stretcher between them, and made a b-line for the small group. As the occupant of the stretcher came into view, Fox and Krystal let out cries of astonished joy.

"Falco!" The blue feathered avian was dressed in a hospital gown, underneath which the outline of a torso cast could be seen plainly, and a new snow white bandage covered his head's plume feathers. He glared annoyed up at Fox as Bill and Katt put down the stretcher.

"How could you fight that guy and leave me here!" He yelled as loud as he could under the cast. "You knew I wanted first crack at him!" Fox chuckled. Falco's anger was to be expected. He always loved being in the thick of the action, showing off how good a pilot he was.

"Well, we tried to wake you up, but you were just snoring too loud to hear us!" Fox joked.

"Ha Ha! My sides are splitting! I don't believe this! Finally, we get a decent pilot to fight, and I'm laid out flatter than Krystal's pancakes!" Krystal gave Falco a playful punch on the shoulder, making him flinch.

"Ow! C'mon can't ya take a joke?" Falco squawked rubbing his tender shoulder.

"Well, you're the one who insulted my cooking skills!"

"She got you good there, Falco." Fox chuckled kissing Krystal's hair. Falco gave him a look of disgust and waved his blue feathered hand at them.

"Aw, just go already before I vomit! I'm suffering enough as it is!" Fox and Krystal laughed.

"It is about time we got going, Fox." Krystal reminded her husband giving Fox a loving rub on the back.

"Right, Krystal." Fox turned to shake his friends hands.

Bill pulled Fox into a hug. "Take care, Fox."

"You too, Bill."

"Now you've got to tell me everything that happened while you two were out there when you get back!" Lucy was saying to Krystal. Krystal nodded.

"Thanks, Lucy. Take care."

"Hurry back!" Slippy croaked as he shook Fox's hand. Amanda gave Fox and Krystal each a tight hug.

"You treat my best friend extra nicely while your gone!" Lucy warned as she hugged them. "Or you'll have to answer to me!"

Fox grinned back. "Don't worry, I will." Slippy was crying as he embraced Krystal.

"I'll miss you two!" he said thickly.

"And we'll miss you Slippy!" Krystal gave him a comforting pat on the back. She stood up and gave Bill a one-armed hug.

Next was Falco's turn. "Just come back in one piece." Falco intoned. Krystal bent down and embraced the avian as best she could and gave him a kiss on the cheek. As she straightened up again, Fox could see a little of Falco's old swagger return to his face. The falcon reached a hand up to grasp Fox's. Fox took it.

Last was Katt, who offered each a hand. "Take care, Fox. Krystal."

"You too, Katt." Fox said shaking it.

"Will you still be here when we get back?" Krystal asked shaking the other hand.

"Maybe. I'm going to stick around to help Falco get back on his feet."

"I don't need your help!" Falco protested from his place on the ground. Katt pressed the soul of her boot into Falco's open beak. Falco gagged in protest, which Katt ignored. "After that who knows!"

"Well, we hope you'll stick around!" Krystal said hopefully. "I want to catch up with you when we get back." Katt laughed.

"Perhaps I will."

"See you later, Katt." Fox said as the circle opened and let Fox and Krystal through.

At the base of the ramp stood General Pepper. His wrinkled face was crinkled into a smile as the two foxes approached. Beside him on either side stood Beltino Toad and Peppy, who had walked quietly past the small huddle to stand with the older generation.

The old hound dog extended his arm. Fox took it and they shook hands. "Good luck, Fox. Krystal." Pepper winked. "You're going to need it." Krystal embraced the old hound and kissed him softly on the cheek.

"Thank you, General Pepper." Krystal said friendly.

"Now, don't forget this!" Beltino handed Fox the camcorder with which he had taped the wedding.

"Thank you, sir." Fox said in appreciation. Krystal bent low and kissed the older frog on the top of his head. Beltino blushed and began to chuckle bashfully.

Peppy looked at the two foxes he'd known for so many years. There was a look of prideful content on his wizened face. "Looks like my duty's done." He turned to Fox. "Fox, do you know what your father told me the day you were born?" Fox's face brightened at the mention of his father.

"What?" he asked eagerly. Peppy grinned.

"He said, "_Peppy,"_ the old hare attempted a impression of James McCloud. "_Being a mercenary's a dangerous job. I might not make it back one of these days. And if that happens, I want you to promise me that you'll look out for this little tyke. I him to grow up big and strong, and become a fine man. I want him to become a great pilot, one that surpasses even me! I want him to meet a beautiful vixen, fall in love, and get married to her, then start a family. If I'm not around, I want you to make sure that happens. Will you promise me, Peppy?"_

Peppy changed his voice so that he was talking normally again. "And I promised him I would." He embraced a slightly shocked Fox, who had tears in his eyes. "You've become all that and more, Fox. And I'd like to take the credit, but I know it wasn't my doing." Peppy's shoulders shook as he embraced his best friend's son, his pupil, his friend. "You became a man all on your own, Fox! My help was hardly needed at all!"

Fox embraced his mentor and friend, the tears were rolling down his cheeks. "That's not true, Peppy!" Fox sobbed. "That's not true!" Krystal watched as teacher and student, mentor and protege, friend and friend cried into one another's shoulders, letting them savor this moment of vulnerability. Her eyes were welling up as well, and she rubbed the tears off on her arm.

"Your father and mother would be so proud." Peppy said holding Fox at arms length. Fox wiped away his tears on the sleeve of his shirt.

"Thanks, Peppy. For everything." Peppy nodded and turned his attention to Krystal. She walked over and embraced the emotional old hare.

"Krystal, you'll take care of this young rapscallion of ours from now on won't ya?" The old hare chuckled joyfully. "I know if anyone in this galaxy, hell, in this universe, can straighten him out, you can."

"Oh, Peppy!" Krystal sobbed thankfully. "Thank you so much for all you've done!"

"Don't mention it." Peppy held Krystal at arms length, and kissed her on each cheek. Then taking Fox's hand, he brought the two of them together. Krystal hugged her husband tightly to her, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Well now," Peppy said wiping the tears the tears from his eyes and un-fogging his spectacles. "You two youngsters best get goin'. Don't want to be around when I start getting emotional." Fox and Krystal looked at Peppy and nodded.

"Take care, Peppy." Fox swallowed.

"Yes, take care." Krystal said thickly.

"Good bye, Fox. Krystal." Peppy smiled a big toothy smile. Fox picked up Krystal walked up the ramp over the threshold and into the brightly lit shuttle. He replaced her on the deck and they turned back for one last look at their friends.

"Good bye, everyone!" they bid the group.

"Good bye!" the group called back. But just as Fox was about to hit the hatch seal, Krystal gave a loud yelp.

"Wait!"

"What?" Fox enquired concerned.

Krystal rushed into the depths of the shuttle and returned shortly with her wedding bouquet. "Forgot something!" Taking a few steps onto the ramp she shouted back to her friends.

"Amanda! Katt! Lucy!"

"What is it?" the three of them called back.

"Heads up!" Spinning on her heel, Krystal tossed the bundle of flowers high into the air. The three girls squealed and scrambled to try and catch it. Fox hit the seal, and the hatch began to close. Just as the hatch closed, Krystal heard an "oof" that sounded a lot like Falco.

Krystal slid down the metal door into her husband's arms, giggling fiercely. He kissed her, and she kissed him back. With a loud smack they broke apart. "Well, that's that." Fox chuckled.

"Let's just get going already!" Krystal giggled. Fox grasped her hand and they both walked to the cockpit. Finally, they could relax.

**So, that's the main part. Here's an overview of what comes next: They take off, they have dinner, they have sex. Now for those of you who aren't total wusses, here's the good stuff!**

**FYI: More notes at the end.**

Fox and Krystal felt the shuttle shudder as the tiny craft broke free of Corneria's atmosphere. The newly-weds were immensely enjoying each other's presence, and couldn't wait to get into warp space so they could commence with some "first-night activities."

The Beltino Orbital Space Gate loomed ahead of them, its many lights blinking in rhythmic fashion. Fox reached over from his place in the pilot's seat, and hailed the gate. Almost immediately, a brown furred vixen appeared on the screen.

"Hello and Welcome to the Beltino Orbital Space Gate. If this is your first visit I wi—" Fox hit a key on the consol in front of him and the vixen image fizzed and went out.

"Annoying recording." Fox growled annoyed. After a moment, the vixen was replaced by a beagle in a blue uniform.

"Gate Control, how can I help you?" he asked in an uninterested voice.

"This is Fox McCloud. I believe we have a scheduled link to Sauria." The attendant's ears perked up at the name. His manner changed from bored to helpful.

"Oh, Mister McCloud! Of course! I remember now! Yes, everything seems to be in order! It won't be a minute, sir!" The attendants eager face was replaced by a text only message: _Please stand by...._

Fox and Krystal watched as gate was created, there eyes reflecting the shimmering green puddle of the event horizon. The attendant's voice spoke again. "You are cleared for departure Mister McCloud! Sorry for the delay!"

"That's okay. Thank you." Fox pointed the nose of the shuttle towards the gate. He looked at Krystal. "You ready?" Krystal nodded. Fox eased the ship forwards into the shimmering glow. There was a sudden rush of air as they passed through the event horizon into warp space, and everything outside the ship turned green.

Fox relaxed into his seat, giving control of the ship to the Auto-Pilot. Even at warp, it would take several hours to reach Sauria, which was on the outer rim of the Lylat System. So that left plenty of time for him and Krystal to share. Fox gazed at the beautiful vixen, who in turn gazed back at him. "So," Krystal said sweetly. "We have a few hours until we reach Sauria, what do you want to do?"

At that moment, both foxes stomachs gurgled loudly. Blushing, they realized the excellent food that they'd eaten at the reception had ceased providing nourishment for their bodies, and were clogging hoses that should otherwise remain unplugged.

"I say we take a bathroom break, and then get some dinner." Fox suggested.

"Agreed." Krystal said thankfully.

Being a gentleman, Fox offered Krystal first dibbs, but Krystal declined. "I'd like to take my time." she had said. "If there's someone else waiting in line, I can't do that can I?"

Conceding her point, Fox had gone first into the bathroom. After relieving himself, Fox combed his wild head fur, applied deodorant and cologne, and brushed his teeth. It felt strange removing objects from the same toiletries bag as Krystal, digging through her stuff, trying to get to his own, placing things that belonged to each in the same medicine cabinet, and sorting through the 5 bottles of different shampoos and conditioners to find the one that belonged to him.

It was amazing to think these little things were what frightened him most about marriage.

Sniffing the air to make sure the air no longer smelled foul, Fox released the door and stepped out into the warmly lit living area. It appeared that Krystal had been unpacking while he was had been in the bathroom. Their suitcases were open and several stacks of clothes were missing. Fox made his way into the bedroom where Krystal was bent over fitting clothes into the drawers of the room's dresser.

"Krystal, bathroom's free." Fox alerted his wife as she straightened up to face him.

"Thanks, won't be a minute." Krystal walked past Fox into the living room, but paused warily outside the bathroom door. She sniffed cautiously. A smile spread over her face. "Cornerian Blue Rose Petals. What a gentleman!" She closed the door behind her.

When she emerged, Krystal both looked and smelled beautiful. She had re-applied her make-up and deodorant, both combed and brushed her hair, and brushed her teeth. She had also added a special perfume that she had purchased for the occasion. Krystal went to the bedroom in search of her husband, who she half expected to be sitting on the bed, buck naked, with a rose between his teeth.

Instead, she found that he had finished what she had started by unpacking, and was nowhere to be seen. Confused, she walked back through the living area to the kitchen. Fox was adding tomato sauce to a frying pan full of sizzling hamburger. A pot of water with long thin noodles in it boiled hotly on the stove and a loaf of french bread, wrapped in tin foil, lay on the counter.

"Hey, Krystal," Fox acknowledged her as she entered. She noticed he had changed back into his wedding attire.

"Hi, Fox. What are you doing?" she asked perplexed.

"What's it look like?" Fox asked just as puzzled by her behavior. "I'm making dinner."

Krystal was a little surprised. She would have thought food was the last thing on Fox's mind, yet here he was. "Does spaghetti sound good to you?"

"Uh, yeah, sounds great, actually!" Krystal said recovering herself. It was, in fact, one of her favorite dishes, but she didn't know Fox knew that! "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Fox looked around for a moment thinking. A buzzer sounded from the oven, signifying that it was done preheating. A light seemed to go on in Fox's mind. He handed the French bread to Krystal. "You can put the bread in the oven." he offered hesitantly. He knew this wasn't the most exciting job in the world, but it was all he had for her.

"Sure, I'd be happy to," Krystal shrugged. Taking the bread wrapped in tin foil over to the oven, she tipped it inside and closed the door. "Well, that was easy. What's next?"

Fox shrugged. "That's it, I'm afraid. I just finished everything else. The bread's the only thing we're waiting on, and that shouldn't take long to cook." Fox started shooing her gently out of the kitchen. "Go sit down in the living room, I'll be out in a sec."

Retreating back to the living area, Krystal sat down on one of the couches in front of a set of silver ware Fox had set out. This was a pleasant surprise. Earlier that day, the first thing she thought she would be doing when she came aboard was losing her virginity. Not in her wildest dreams did she imagine she'd be waiting to be served a meal of spaghetti and french bread cooked especially for her by her new husband, Fox! Krystal made a mental note to reward Fox for his thoughtfulness later.

Presently, Fox appeared carrying 2 plates heaped with spaghetti. He set one plate down in front of Krystal and one for him beside hers. He disappeared back into the kitchen only to return with the french bread sliced thick in a bowl. Situating the bowl within easy reach of both plates and disappeared yet again.

This time Krystal herd a loud popping sound, and the rush of bubbling liquid. Fox re-appeared again, holding 2 glasses and a champaign bottle in a holder. Offering Krystal a glass, Fox poured the champaign into her glass and then his own, replacing the bottle on the table.

Fox turned to Krystal and raised his glass. "To.... hmm. Ugh..let's see to....."

"Us." Krystal said raising her own glass. Fox smiled.

"Alright then. To us!" the glasses made a high-pitched tone as they came together and Fox and Krystal drank the toast down. After finishing the last drop in the glass, Fox plied the bottle again, refilling both glasses and replacing it on the table.

"Dinner is served." Fox said waving his hand towards the food. "Let's eat!"

"Yes. Let's. Krystal picked up her own plate and took a generous amount of the sauce covered noodles into her mouth. She chewed methodically and closed her eyes. Delicious. She had no idea Fox was this good a cook.

Most meals aboard the _Great Fox_ were cooked alone in your room, since no one ever sat still long enough to have the conversations a mutual dinner table would necessitate. Nor did any of the occupants want to be bound to a schedule of whose turn it was to wash dishes or cook that night. If someone had dinner, but didn't do the dishes, he could leave those dishes there for days on end with nobody pestering him, even if his/her room did smell like rancid yak butter.

"Quite a day, huh," Fox mused. His mind kept replaying the scene where he had rammed Krystal's ship to save her from certain annihilation.

"Indeed," Krystal replied taking another bite of spaghetti. She was puzzling over the feelings Fox was exuding. For both foxes it felt the same. Love, a desperate need to protect, pride, panic, anger, worry, guilt, and then a numb feeling of accomplishment as Fox's ship plummeted to the sea.

"It certainly was eventful." Krystal said reaching for a piece of bread which Krystal now noticed was spread with melted butter.

"Tell me about it."

It was interesting, Fox thought, how those feelings buzzed around his head, refusing to leave him alone. They made him feel...good. Like, really good! Krystal was having similar emotions at that time. The mixture of Fox's strange emotions, and the thoughtful actions they seemed to inspire, was making Krystal tingle pleasurably. They stirred something primal deep within the young Cerinian vixen. Something she hadn't known was there. It was starting to gain a grip on her and she started to perspire lightly. Both foxes' tails twitched impatiently back and forth as the same kinds of feelings and desires coursed through their veins. Impatient urges sprang to their minds.

Fox tried to stop these urges, but couldn't resist running his eyes over his wife's body. So curvy, so healthy, the blue silky fur, the firm, round breasts, the long slender legs, those gorgeous jade eyes.... Both newly-weds realized what the other was doing. Krystal especially could feel Fox's.....lust? No, this was something like that, but also unlike it in every way. Like a new emotion that didn't even have a name. Krystal wasn't sure what to think of this "new emotion" beyond love and lust, but she was sure that she wanted more of it.

Both foxes, itched to throw themselves at the other, to provide a sweet release, but each was terrified of offending the other. Krystal took a large gulp of her champaign. Her eyes began to glow with a ravenous gleam.

It was becoming unbearable for Fox to hold himself back. _Just do it, damn it! Take her! Jump her now! Just do it! Do it! Do her! Do her! Do her hard! Now! _a voice was screaming inside his head. Trying to sound casual, Fox opened his mouth to say something like "How's your dinner?" but instead the saliva from his drooling mouth started to fly out and he had to close his mouth and try to swallow it all down, which made him cough loudly.

"You okay, Fox?" Krystal's voice was high and far away even to her own ears.

"I'm okay, I just—" Fox's eyes met Krystal's again and the look in their eyes was unmistakable. They both wanted the same thing and now they knew it!

"Fox...."

"Krystal...."

It was at this instant that any self-control the two might have had snapped like a toothpick, against the overwhelming pressure of this secret sex drive that had been revved up inside them.

They dove towards one another. Meeting half way, they kissed each other ferociously, tongues painting each other's mouth's with saliva, and groping every piece of flesh they could get their hands on. Both vulpine were now extremely aroused, as shown by the bulge in Fox's pants, and the warm trickling sensations running Krystal's leg.

Without thinking, Fox picked Krystal up and carried the vixen into the bedroom. Dropping her on the bed, he pounced on her, fingers working desperately to find the zipper on the back of her wedding dress. Loud grunts, and moans were coming from both as the kissed.

By the time Fox's feverish hands had found and pulled down the zipper of the wedding dress, Krystal had managed to remove Fox's tie, jacket, suspenders, over shirt and under shirt, and was now focusing on the removal of Fox's pants.

Fox straightened up before she could finish; however, and pulled the white dress off Krystal's silky smooth fur. She quickly undid her black lace bra, and tossed it aside, now fully naked, apparently she had refrained from wearing panties in anticipation of this moment.

Fox surveyed Krystal's body with a greedy eye. She had many fur tattoos, many of them tribal markings from her life on Cerinia. But there were a few that Fox didn't recognize from their encounter on Sauria. A small Star Fox Symbol was tattooed in white on the outside of her left breast, where the curve was most prominent, and an Arwing soared on her right hip. Her luscious blue nipples were erect, and she stared at him with hunger in her eyes.

Using her legs she pulled him onto her body, kissing him passionately as she used her now unoccupied hands to pull down Fox's pants and boxers to a point where she could pull them off completely with her feet. Fox's pants and undergarments fell unnoticed and ignored to the floor, freeing Fox's erection. It was big Krystal thought, but not freakishly so, like the ones you saw in porn movies. She couldn't wait to feel it inside her.

Reaching down she guided Fox's member toward her vagina. There was brief pause as Krystal took a deep breath. Then he was in her, thrusting hard in and out, in and out. The pleasure was intense, and Krystal moaned as she felt her cunt expand even further to accommodate Fox's mass. Both vulpine moaned and groaned as they experienced the rush of sexual passion. Fox relished Krystal's warm, tight, and sticky cunt against his hard member. Everything about her was perfect! Her breasts, her pussy, her ass, and especially, her sweat matted hair. There was that emotion again. Even when all there was to him was her body, this pleasure, her moaning, there was still something that brought it back to being non-sexual. Krystal too was thinking this as the passionate moaning and groaning continued.

Krystal's orgasm was close, she could feel it! The pressure was building in her stomach and she was so close to sexual release! She wanted it! She wanted it badly! But she also wanted it for Fox. She wanted to be set off by his release! By the intense pleasure she gave him! The vixen began thrusting up against Fox, trying her best to make him cum. She reached a hand down and began fondling his balls. _Come on! Cum! You can do it, Fox! Just cum for me! Inside! Please! I want you to do it! Do it now!_

"Fox!" Krystal shrieked in pleasure as an orgasm rocked her body. Her back arched and her tail which had been swishing excitedly back and forth the whole time, stood quivering in place. To her surprise, the pleasure didn't stop. An extended orgasm? But that just never happened! 20 seconds went by and the pleasure didn't stop. A minute, 2 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes! Krystal was being overcome by the intense pleasure, her back arched, moaning loudly, squeezing the comforter beneath her with her claws.

At last, she felt the pleasure in Fox begin to peak. "Yes! Ngh! Yes, Fox! Do it! Aaaaaa! Cum, mmmm!! Fox!!!!!" And cum Fox did. With a deep throated moan Krystal felt the warm sticky goo flow into her. And as she did, her orgasm ended.

Krystal relaxed finally able to rest and catch her breath. Both of them were breathing deeply, and Fox pulled out, stretching a thick string of semen from the end of his penis to Krystal's vagina. For several minutes they just lay there in each other's arms, taking in what had just occurred. Krystal glanced at the bedside clock. 12:30 AM Cornerian Standard Time. Krystal tried to see through the haze of her sex funk, trying to figure how long they'd been at this.

They had started dinner about 9 ish.... And it had taken them at least a half hour to get started stripping so.... And then, it had taken another 15 minutes for them to get to it. So they'd been at it....maybe 2 and half hours or so? Had it really been that long? It had seemed so short a time.

Fox looked at Krystal, his new lover, laying next to him. Her eye's were half closed, and she was breathing heavily.

"What're you thinking about?" he asked. Her rolled toward him and she turned on her side to look into his eyes. After so many years of sexual tension, and hostility, all he could think was that he couldn't believe he hadn't this sooner!

"Just that, we've been doing this for almost 3 hours and it feels like no time at all!"

"Is that so bad?" Fox enquired of his mate.

"No, its just odd, that's all."

Fox kissed her softly and she returned the kiss. "I love you."

"I love you."

"You tired?" he asked

"Nope." Krystal shrugged.

"Me neither." There was a deep pause as the unspoken question hung in the air.

"Maybe after I've showered." Krystal purred seductively. Shaking Fox off her, she began walking slowly towards the bathroom swinging her hips in a hypnotic fashion, her tail swishing back and forth.

"You know," Fox called after her. "I could use a shower, too!"

"So then, what're you waiting for?" Krystal called back. Fox quickly jumped to his feet and ran after Krystal. She was leaning against the bathroom door frame, smiling teasingly at Fox's eagerness as he entered the living room. Fox could hear the shower running behind her. Crooking her finger in a "come-hither" gesture, Krystal disappeared behind the frame and into the shower. Fox slipped into the bathroom as well, letting his tail push the locking mechanism as the door slid shut._ This,_ he thought. _Is going to be a good day!_

**So that's it! The last chapter is up! Thanks to all the people who've reviewed my first, legit story! ninjafoxshadow! BigBossSonic! GUNMAN666! Serpent Panda! starfoxluver! Hopeless-Tyronos! Hamijou 4ever! And finally notfromearth?! As I sit here typing at 6:40 am (YES I PULLED AN ALL NIGHTER TO GET THIS UP!!!! 8:00 PM Fri-6:40 AM SAT!!!!) I think about how much fun it was to write! You guys have been great and have made this a worthwhile experience with your kind reviews! HELL, one of the only things that has kept me going these past few weeks is this story! Thank you all from the bottom of my heart!!!**

**This time, when you review, AND I WANT ALL OF YOU READING THIS TO!, include your over all score, 3 things you liked, 2 things you thought were funny, and at least one thing you didn't like! Do it for me! Pleaaaaaseeee!! Thank you!**

**Oh holy shit! The sun's coming up I'd better go! Thanks again and keep a look out for my sequel that could be up later today!! Peace!!!!! I'm out!**

**Signed**

**James Rodney O'Neill**


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